Hanyou on the High Sea
by Lady Donut
Summary: [AU] Yo ho ho, and a bottle of sake. Inuyasha, the most notorious pirate in the Seven Seas meets his match when he accidentally kidnaps the wrong kind of captive... Kagome! ...What's a sea dog to do?
1. Wedded bliss?

The-First-and-Only-Disclaimer: ...Howdy. ...Inuyasha is MINE. That will be all. :D

AN: Not much to say just yet. This idea's been in my mind for awhile. I think I'll let it simmer. *smile*

**Hanyou on the ****High****Sea****~ Chapter 1**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

"White, white, white! ...There's so much damned white..."

Kagome tossed her snow-colored reticule on the lounge next to her, standing stiffly to avoid being stabbed by the thousands of unseen pins that probably aimed towards her skin at that very moment.

"Ah said, DOHN'T MOVE." The heavy Swedish accent came below from Paulina, the round, stern-faced dress maker moving around the statue-like girl like a bee around pollen. 

"Are... all these measurements really necessary..? This dress had been altered at least..._twenty times." Her breath was suddenly cut off by the tightening of her stays._

Paulina smacked the young girl on the arm with a newspaper. "NO TALL-KING. You want to trip over your train down the aisle, no? Let Paulina work." 

Kagome had been standing on the stool for over half an hour, and her legs were stiff with pain. She looked at herself miserably in the mirror, facing the gargantuan white beast staring back at her.

Seventeen years old and unhappy of that fact, this wasn't how the young girl had planned her picture perfect gown to be. ...She was lost in a sea of ribbons and bows, with a heavily pearled veil covering her over like foam. Her shoulders were puffy soccer balls on either side of her neck, extending down to heavy belled sleeves that hung limply to her sides. ....Not an inch of life showed from underneath the gown. Kagome refrained from hurling.

"...So much goddamned white. I look like a polar bear." ...Said, of course, between gasped breaths.

The ornery dressmaker was quick to respond. "You're missing the black nose, little one... ...Shall I give it to you? Back straight up!"

The bark made Kagome jump, and in turn cause a pin... somewhere... to jab her.

"_Shit!" She gasped._

A smack to back of the head. "Hush! Ladies do not cuss!"

Kagome bit her tongue to keep it in check. Itchy, stiff, and overflowing with white fabric, she looked straight into the mirror. If she could have sighed, she would've, for it's worth.

...A girl, in a tacky wedding dress, awaiting a rich husband to woo her and make her family's pockets glitter with inheritance. That's what she was. ...And what a typical way for a girl of her class to go. 

To her left, the thick bedroom door opened a crack, and two mouse-like eyes peeked in to spy on the torture within. Kagome gritted her teeth. "...Et tu, Souta?"

Discovered, Kagome's little brother opened the door with a flourish and stepped in with a wide grin. He looked...unusual...

The small boy gave his sister a humored look up and down, much to her irritation.

"You look like a polar bear."

Yes, that was very true... but that wasn't going to stop Kagome from her spiteful tongue.

"...And you look just... _darling_...."

Souta's grin was wiped out as quickly as his appearance in. He reached down and fingered the nautical outfit gingerly. "...It's a sailor suit..." He looked up, indignant. "All the rage in the west, you know... Mama said so."

"You look like an idiot."

"Mama said I looked like a young man."

Kagome endured another painful stab with a pin. "...And she's absolutely right... You're a fine young man. ...A fine noble..." She turned a cool eye his way. "...Just like Hojo..."  She'd just hit a nerve. (...Though, fortunately for him, not with a pin.)

Souta suddenly looked horrified. "Eww...  Kagome! How dare you compare me to that pansy! He is such a...a... _girl."_

Hojo, of course, was the most local noble, and was, for a time, Kagome's first would-be suitor. ...He wasn't a pansy, but unfortunately for him, nowhere _near Souta's standard... Poor Hojo had about the cool factor of lima beans._

"Bingo."

...Souta looked sullied. "...Just watch. Everyone in Japan'll wear a sailor suit one day... You'll see."

Kagome suffered another smack from Paulina for slouching. She was exasperated.

"Yeah Souta, I bet... ...Now, what did you want to tell me?"

The boy bent over the dressmakers sewing kit, examining it. "Mama and Grandpa want to see you in the Shrine room when you're done... And the cook says we're having pickled radishes and rice for dinner."

Kagome groaned internally. ...Pickled radishes. "Okay, Souta... Tell them I'll be right there..."

"...Un." he said absently. ...Souta was holding a pair of sharp-looking shears. ...He was promptly chased out by the vicious Swede.

Paulina pinned and tweaked some more, keeping Kagome at bay for another five minutes. She stood in front of her after then, almost admiringly.

"There... vat a beautiful bride you'll make... Vat a beautiful bride for the Lord Kouga." She beamed at her handiwork.

Kagome stood and stared, the final reflection bringing about a small wave of nausea. She took a step back, temporarily losing and regaining her balance on the stool, tipsy.

"Oh! Child, Vat's wrong?!"

"Paulina..." Kagome's hand clamped over her mouth quickly. "Quick. Bring me a bag."

~*~

...The moon had long since risen in the sky, and Kagome had retreated to her room after the talk with her Mom and Grandpa, hiding under her vast bedcover with a small flashlight, and, the most secret and prized of her treasures... a small, soft-cover journal. She could hear Mom talking to Grandpa in hushed voices from the parlor. Kagome rubbed a sore spot on her back and continued scribbling.

_Dear Journal,_

_...Tomorrow it happens... Tomorrow I'll set sail for the __Shizuoka__ coast to meet and marry my... husband... Kouga what's-his-face. I guess, then... that makes this the last journal entry I'll ever write as a single girl. ...Unsettling isn't it?  _

_...Mama and Grandpa called me into the parlor today after my appointment with Mistress Pain... Mom looked like she was about to cry, no matter how hard she tried to be excited for me, and make me the same way. ...I really wish she'd talk to me more, though I know she's still hurting from Dad's passing._

_...Grandpa was in somewhat good spirits. ...He made me drink this liquid shit** ...scratch that... _crap_, that tasted like cod liver oil and sake... he announced It'd ward against evil spirits on the voyage over, but I know he was just giddy to have an excuse to test it. _

_...I noticed his eyes were a little red. He blamed Buyo. _

_Even Souta, of all people, seemed to be a little sad. ...He gave me a present today, for... the first time in his life.  It's a mini compass that came with the sailor suit. I was surprised he didn't opt for the ship in the bottle, instead.  He didn't want it, he said, was never going to grow up to become a sailor, he said, and it seemed like a waste to keep it. ...I guess... I'll miss him too. But of course, nobody ever has to know about it.  _

_...I'm too nervous to sleep, but too tired to be nervous. ...Does that make any sense? I might as well try some shut-eye, then._

_***Remember not to swear!!!_

Kagome tucked the flashlight and journal under her pillow and curled up in a warm fetus position under the covers. The adult's voices were still audible outside. ...She dug her head farther into the pillow to try to strain out the voices. ...Her mother's seemed to be getting louder, and it was only a few minutes before her telltale footsteps were coming down the hall. 

Kagome pulled the covers closer to her, and shut her eyes. ...The door to her big room creaked open, and with it came a line of light, punctuated by the familiar shadow of her mother's form.

Concentrating deeply on the soft chenille of her pillow and warmth of her body, the movement of the mattress as her mother sat down came as a surprise, though she was aware it was going to happen.

Ms. Higurashi sat closely to her daughter, and reached out to stroke the long, dark hair. Kagome could hear her mothers slow, though uneven breathing, and knew then she was trying to refrain from crying.

...For awhile, a good long while, Ms. Higurashi sat there, in the darkness, next to the 'sleeping' form of her daughter.

Kagome had known her mother hoped to find her awake, but for a reason she couldn't pinpoint, she couldn't bring herself to 'wake up' and talk to her. So... she kept herself curled for what seemed like an eternity, until she felt the warm breath blow in her ear, followed by a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you, my Kagome... and... I'm sorry."

Time reversed, the pressure eased off the bed, the footsteps came again, the door clicked shut, and lying still in the darkness... Kagome felt only a few quiet tears patter on her pillow top.

~*~

AN: A new beginning... It's getting me excited... *pees*. Stay tuned, of course...^^


	2. The Ship and the Pirate

AN: ...Time for some good Inuyasha-intro action. :D Have a good read! It's pouring cats and youkai outside... Brrrr...

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 2**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

_It was the Next Morning..._

Stop. Rewind, and play.

_Was there something wrong with this picture?_ ...Kagome stood on the pier, mouth agape, her eyes rereading the cracked peeling name on the side of the barge to her destiny. ...So to speak. 

_The Survivor.___

The name was an overstatement. The galleon was docked about an inch from its life. A huge, swaying wooden pile of logs, creaking and moaning with the motion of the water and decorated by a fraying, patched sail. 

Souta, next to her whistled shook his head in pity... "Whoooo... Tough break, sister..."

Her jaw was plastered on the floor.

Souta gave her a brotherly pat on the back. "And, that, Kagome, is why we worry when Grandpa announces he's found a bargain."

It was midmorning, and the sun was directly overhead, causing sweaty, itchy sensations underneath Kagome's clothes. From what she knew, all of the trunks and cases of clothing had been loaded on before she arrived. She had, however, pulled an emergency packing switch with her journal, from the trunks, to somewhere much closer. ...She squeezed her backpack to her chest.

Kagome shook her head free of the shock, and turned to her little brother.

"Is Mama coming? Grandpa?"

Souta shook his head. "What for..? You guys already said your teary goodbye's and I love you's this morning at the house." Kagome mentally kicked herself for her random short term memory. "...Come to think of it..." he looked up, wondering.  "...I forgot why _I was here."_

Kagome gave her brother a narrow look. "...To stowaway in the cargo bay?"

A cocky glad-I'm-not-you grin blinded her eyes. "Hell no." ...His eyes looked down for a minute, trying to remember. "That's right!" he said, snapping. "To tell you I put something in your backpack that I think you'll thank me for... No! No! Don't open it yet! ...But It'll be hotter below decks. You could use it."

Kagome couldn't tell if THIS grin was sneaky or loving. Either which way, she smiled back at him. "Thanks, Souta." She ruffled his hair. He swatted her hand away. "Stop... you'll make me look like Hojo..."

"...All aboaaard...!" Kagome turned her head to see the aged captain of the ship standing on the deck with a bell. _Ding! Ding! Ding! Her hand reached for Souta's and gave it a squeeze._

"...Don't forget to feed Buyo for me... I'll... see you guys in a month..." She let go... turning to the boarding ramp.

His face was somewhat reluctant now. "Um... Hey! Watch out for pirates!" he called after her.

Pirates... or any form of sea life, were the last thing on her mind. ...She turned around for a final wave to her little brother, and made her way through the crowd to the ticket woman standing at the ramp gate. Souta waved back, but was suddenly covered from view by the boarding passengers.

"...Ticket please, enjoy your voyage, please forward all questions, complaints and rat sightings to your captain, your room's on 'A" deck. Thank you." The ticket woman, tall, with long dark hair, ushered her past the gate and up the ramp, looking stressed. ...She wore a stupid looking uniform sailor hat and a peeling name tag. _'H llo... y name is S ngo!_'

"Um..." Kagome turned to ask her a question... She wondered if there were bathrooms on this thing... It looked ancient.

"Please keep moving, ma'am, forward all questions, complaints, and rat sightings to your captain, your room's on 'A' deck, Thank-" ...The ticket woman smacked herself. "Um... the bathrooms down the main stairwell and to your left."  

...Kagome gave her a stare.  "...We get that a lot." She gave her a small smile before being called back to the gate by a fat woman with a poodle.

Walking up the ramp, Kagome looked to her side. ...Ah, there was Souta, again... He waved to her frantically and she waved back, a tiny knot of gloom tightening inside. Once up deck, she gave into the urge and looked over the side again. 

...Souta was still waving. ....But her mother and Grandpa had suddenly appeared by his side... and were doing the same thing. 

...Grandpa was looking proud of himself, while Ms. Higurashi's face held a sweet but sad smile. ...She blew Kagome a small kiss from down below. 

Kagome's heart rose, somewhat... She waved back, finally. 

A deckhand came to her side and scooted her away. All new boarders were supposed to report to their rooms until sail. ...She turned away, reluctantly with a final wave, and made her way below deck.

~*~

_6:43 pm___

_Dear Journal, _

_...I'm hungry. We've been at sea for seven hours. This place stinks. ...Some guy groped me in the mess hall. ...And I think I just found out I'm seasick. _

_...As a bonus, though, Souta gave me a present. ...A breezy green sailor suit. _

_...I bet he found it funny._

_~Kagome_

Kagome stared miserably at the gleaming metal bucket next to her. This was getting to be routine, nowadays. She was laying on her bed, in the dark, her legs swaying over the side, getting used to the new outfit Souta had stowed away in her backpack. ...She had to admit... It looked kinda spunky. ...And the breeze she got versus a petticoat was _such_ a relief!

Her door was opened a crack. ...Of course it was. The room smelled like seaweed. And the air was thicker than soup. Kagome wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and sat up in bed. 

Maybe... she needed air. A good walk on the deck would be nice, right? ...The room was starting to smell like... well, the what was in the metal bucket. 

~*~

_Meanwhile...a good distance away..._

"Captain? ...Whitefuzz... Sir?"

A white-haired head rose groggily from a table, topped with various maps and a spilled bottle of ink. A pair of grumpy yellow eyes focused in a short, white haired man saluting next to his table.

"..._What... did you just call me..?" His eyes narrowed at the intruder. He slapped a mosquito away from his face, leaving an inked handprint across his cheek. "...Fuck!"_

The small servant looked a little uncertain. "Um... Whiteclaw... sir?"

"Yeah? What do you want..? Didn't I make it _clear_ I didn't want to be bothered?!" He cursed silently when the bottle of ink spun from his arm, dripped onto his lap.

"Well, cap'n..." The little man wasn't sure whether to pee or twiddle his fingers. "We have... um... sighted a ship coasting down the bay a little while ago. ...Perhaps... you want to be notified?"

Inuyasha shook his head free of sleep. "...Yeah well, Hurry up and get it over with. You already pissed me off." He gave the red-nosed underling an irritated look.

"Of... of course sir... Well... A passenger ship called the _Survivor looked like it was making its way past the Bay of Izu... It was spotted about an hour ago..."_

Inuyasha scratched his head..."...The _Survivor_? Wasn't that a merchant ship we raided three months ago...?"

"No sir... It was a passenger ship."

"Hrrm... Survivor... Sounds like a nice, loaded merchant ship..."

"Um... It wasn't si-"

"SHADDUP!" He pounded on the desk. Making the ink dance. ...Onto his face. "Dammit!" 

The messenger's face flushed very red. 

...A small puddle appeared by his feet on the wood floor. ...Inuyasha stared at the man, then at the puddle, then back at the man. "...Did... did you just pee on my floor?"

"I... I...um...didn't...no...yes!"

"...MIROKU! ..._Get your ass over here_!"

From behind a thick curtain at the end of the cabin, a black pony-tailed head appeared. ...It glanced at the Captain, sitting squarely on a stool at his desk, face smeared with ink and otherwise looking ridiculous, then at a trembling, pudgy man right next to him. "...You called, sir?"

"Miroku, this man has no balls. Get him out of my face."

The man started to babble incoherently, getting panicked. "I'm... I'm sorry cap'n! I'm sorry! I'm old, it happens when I'm nervous!"

Inuyasha covered his ears with clawed fingers. "....And he's annoying too. Just toss him over the side."

Miroku sighed as the man ramble beside him. ...He blew a whistle twice, and stood back, shaking his head as two other pirates appeared in the room and dragged out the man, who had started to whimper.

He looked at Inuyasha. "...You lose more underlings that way, Inuyasha." 

The captain had grabbed a towel and begun to scrub his face. "....Fucking semi-permanent ink..." He growled. "...What was the name of that man, Miroku?"

"I'm not too sure sir... I think it might've been Smee."

"...Bullshit."

"I promise, sir. It's a generic pirate name."

Inuyasha scratched his chin and looked up, thinking. "Very well, then... Smee. ...Send his family around... ¥5000. Put it on my list."

"...As you wish, sir."

Inuyasha wiped his face once more and tossed the towel on the floor. He pondered for a moment, then looked back to the purple-clothed man in the room. "...By the way, Miroku, did we raid a merchant ship called the _Survivor a few months ago?"_

Miroku thought a moment. "...Hmm... we did, captain. ...But I think it was a passenger ship..."

"...Crap."

"Yes sir... But we got some very good preserves off that raid... if I can remember correctly... That was the ship that carried dry packets of ramen..."

Inuyasha's ears perked up, slightly. "Well... We've been a little dry lately, haven't we? ...Tell the men to make for the opposite side of the Bay of Izu. ...And to prepare their asses for an interception."

"Oh... sir? Has it come around again?" 

Inuyasha was looking a bit distant. "...The crap the cook makes turns me green. ...Oh, and while you're at it, tell one of them to haul ass in here. With a mop..."

Miroku rolled his eyes and sighed. "...Aye, aye, captain." He overstepped the puddle and left the cabin.

Inuyasha stood, shaking the excess ink from his haori, and looking outside a porthole with arms crossed. His thoughts were wandering from a lingering bit of sleepiness. 

...Perhaps... he get a new cook?

~*~

...Kagome stood at the bow of the ship. ...My... the water sure was dark... Carefully, she put her feet between the spaces of the wooden rail and hoisted her herself up. 

"Wow... what a view..." A tiny tinge of orange was still visible on the horizon... The rush of air blew her long hair around her body. Around her, in every which direction, was nothing but miles and miles of water. Wow... you know... if you forgot about the railing... it almost felt like you were flying...

She rose her arms to her sides, and closed her eyes. ...It was such a peaceful feeling... So... so _free.  Unexpectedly, Kagome felt herself filled with an overwhelming sense of happiness._

"I'm..." began to say... She stopped herself. Why not shout?

"I'm... I'm the queen of the woooooorld! Yeeeeah ha ha!! ....I'm flying! Look at me- oh, _oh CRAP!"_

Losing her balance, Kagome fell backwards with a squeal, heavily...back to earth. The wind knocked out of her, she blinked a few times, and sat up, just as troubled as ever.

_...Damn it all... I'm not happy. ...The second this ship docks, in fact..._

She sighed, standing up and dusting herself off, and began to walk around the sides of the ship. For an old barge that looked about ready to collapse, Kagome noticed, it sure had a lot of walking space. ...She wandered around the deck for a long while, peeking inside occasional open portholes until the sky was pitch black and littered with stars. The moon, however, was shielded by clouds.

Anything, really, was better than staying below decks. Kagome had even visited cafeteria briefly. It was sticky hot and smelled of fish. ...Afterwards, she'd sneaked past a door marked 'Crew Only', only to find herself in an embarrassing situation with an oblivious couple.

Kagome sighed again and kicked a maintenance bucket down ways past the deck. It scuttled loudly into the darkness until it disappeared from view.

Unexpected, was the noise that came when the rolling stopped. It was... almost like a meow.

Kagome, curious, jogged down the deck squinting. 

"Here kitty, kitty! Here kitty!"

She looked around a few times... not seeing anything. 

Something on the horizon caught her eye. A large shadow, like a ship.

"Mew!" There it was again! Shrugging the far shadow off as nothing more than what it looked like, Kagome looked down, only to see and feel a small, white cat-like animal rubbing up against her leg. ...Two tails swayed and large red eyes looked into hers.

"Oh, how cuute," She cooed. "Did I hit you?" She bent down and picked up the youkai cat. "You're not lost, are you?" To its great pleasure, she started to cuddle and scratch behind the fuzzy black ears. How weird it was to see a lone youkai cat on the ship. ...Belonged to someone below decks, no doubt.

"You remind me of my Buyo..." She hugged it closer.

The cat gave a grateful mew and jumped out of her arms, circling once and hopping down the deck. ...Having nothing better to do, Kagome followed.

~Meanwhile~

"Are the cannons ready?"

"Aye, Captain." Said a crew man.

"Are we within range...?"

"Just about, sir!"

"Stop taking your friggin' time."

"Yes sir. Sorry sir."

Miroku stood at Inuyasha's side. "...You certainly have a way with your subjects, Inuyasha." He noted.  ...The hanyou scowled, hands crossed over his now freshly laundered haori. "...I never told them to join." He said.

A short boy in ran up to Inuyasha and gave him a salute. "Whiteclaw, sir! The men are on deck and ready. They want to know what to raid for!"

Looking out to the horizon, his amber eyes narrowed at the sight of the ship bobbing along, unknowing and oblivious.

"Tell them we're going straight for the food stores... loot the rooms too, if you want.  ...And no hostages this time around. _..._Got that?"

"Hai!" The boy left like he came.

The wild-haired pirate at the wheel turned back. "We're within range, sir."

"Good. Ready the guns, at my command."

Miroku sighed internally. He could tell, inside, Inuyasha was feeling rather pleased with himself.  "Here we go again..."

~*~

Whoa. ..._Weird, Kagome suddenly observed. There wasn't a single person on deck.  Kirara... as was the name she managed to read on the collar, walked a little ways past Kagome, looking from side to side. Kagome could have sworn she was almost patrolling._

She hugged her arms to her chest. ....It was getting cold out here, too. Faced with the unpleasant truth that she was either going to be too hot or too cold, only left her gritting teeth.

Kirara stopped, jumping up to the railing and staring out over the water. "What's that you're looking at, Kirara?" Kagome walked up next to the demon cat and joining her in gazing over the rail.

Nothing but black, black water... and that ship's shadow she remembered seeing a little earlier. 

_...Hmm... I could've sworn that ship was much farther._

A breath of wind blew past them and Kirara sniffed the air. ...To her great startle, Kagome heard a low growl from beside her. ...Looking down, the cat's fur stood on end.

"What's eating you?"

She glanced back on the ship just as the moon came out from behind the clouds and illuminated the water and ship. ...A puff of red came from its side, followed by a thunderous boom that echoed over the sea. Kagome looked up to see a clean cannonball sailing through the air. There was barely time for a gasp. 

In what seemed like fast-forward motion, Kagome felt herself being knocked out of her place by a massive wall of fur, and looked up from the floor to see a huge fiery cat where Kirara had been, roaring deafeningly.

The cannonball smashed into the ship with a smash, not 20 feet from where Kagome had been standing. A force of heat and wind pushed Kagome back another ten feet along with a hailstorm of debris and shrapnel. Shouts of fright and surprise reached her ear from inside. She didn't notice she was screaming until it was amply cut off by her collision into a large metal rigging. 

She lay on the floor, stunned and blinking, then fell into sweet sleep... 

~*~

"You're such a barbarian, captain. You know that, don't you?"

"Shut up, Miroku. And grab your staff."

~*~

AN: Somewhat of a cliffhanger, no? Better is yet to come. ...How _does Kagome end up on the decks of Inu's ship? ...I'm working on it._


	3. Yo ho ho, and a bottle of ramen

AN: Like I say, I've having an awesome time writing this fic. ...There's something about hanyous and jolly rogers that shoot my cannonball, if you know what I mean... :D

Thank you to Ace of Spades and Menchi-Pie (The Incredible Karen) for their lovely comments. *grins* I'm so full of inspiration now I could just pee. :D

Onward, ho!

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 3**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

It was as if she were watching the movie of her life. ...Sorta. Eyes closed, lying on the deck amidst the dull roar of a far off flame and the screams of people, Every noise that entered her ear painted vivid pictures in her mind. She could feel the vibrations of the wooden deck as both heavy and light feet pounded next to and around her, oblivious to everything else except their own plight.

But she couldn't move... matter how hard she tried. She could feel the pain of a burn on her leg throbbing with heat as she lay, strewn and helpless. 

A woman screamed in the near distance. Kagome shut her eyes as tightly as she could. The raspy voice of another spoke with harsh amusement. "...Now, now, lil' lady! ...I ain't gonna hurt you just as long as you give me what I want." Then laughter.

The woman was crying and pleading, saying she'd give him anything... just to let her live. Kagome heard the familiar jingle of a coin purse along with the tearing of clothes. The woman screamed again.

With a sickening sound of shearing metal, Kagome braced herself for the abrupt cut-off to her screams.  'Pirates...' she thought. 'My gods... they _have_ to be pirates... but _how?' _ The sounds of more pirate voices could be heard joining the first, laughing and talking.

"Hey, Manten. Drop the broad and grab this sack!" Said one. Sadistic laughter came from another. "Yeah, some fat lady on b-deck carried a lot of pennies." Kagome heard the gurgle of the woman, then the thump as she was thrust on the ground. 

"Aw, shucks... And she was pretty hot, too. ...Nice legs."

"Nah... Too noisy. ..I don't like the whiny ones."

Kagome felt an extreme wave of hot wind blow her way. ...The fire must have been getting closer... She needed to get out of there... now. The crack and groan of wood seemed to be coming from everywhere. A smaller, lighter voice approached the laughing men urgently.

"Hey, hey guys! Guys! The captain says to report to the bow, now!"

The second man snarled. "Get out of our sight, y'little fox brat." The third hoisted up the heavy sack and said to nobody in particular, "...Damn the captain for not letting us keep trophies. ...At least, trophies with breasts." With a squeal following the sound of a breaking bottle, the smaller voice left yelling, "I'm telling the captain!"

The first man seemed to have sudden disappointment in his voice. He didn't appear to have heard or acknowledged the child. "There has to be a hotter woman on this ship... It's always the country barges that are dry..."

"Don't get too discouraged... we can always pick up a few on that tavern on the coast."

Kagome knew she was partially hidden by a metal rigging... but her legs... her legs were out and bare for all the world to see_. ... Move, Kagome! Move! You're going to burn..._

"C'mon, Manten. Lift that sack and let's get out of here before the captain skins us." 

White-hot heat was building up around the metal rigging. Kagome shut her eyelids tighter and felt tears of pain escape from underneath them unwillingly. _God-DAMMIT, KAGOME! She tried moving her arms, but felt nothing more than movement in her fingertips. 'I'm going to die...' the realization struck her with an empty, hollow pang in her chest. '...Isn't this a dream...? Isn't it?"_

"Yeah, yeah... I'm coming... but not before one last look at my beauty queen, here." The first voice came closer again.

"She's dead, y'sick bastard!" Said the other pirate. "Control yerself, and grab the goddamn loot!"  ...Manten, or whatever his name was, groaned and grumbled, and Kagome heard the wood creak as he stood.

At that moment, a piece of burning... something, fell on Kagome's thigh. A flash of pain seared through her spine and finally came out... as a soft cry. Kagome felt movement returning to herself like a wave of the tide.

But, there was another creak. With the realization that she had made herself known, Kagome tensed up once more, preparing for the inevitable discovery by the ruthless pirate.

Her eyes opened halfway, just in time to see the man peer around the metal rigging, a smile growing on his face.

"Why, _hello... Aren't __you the shy one?" the dark voice spoke from a toothy grin._

Kagome recoiled in horror at the face that grinned with such perversion at her. He was a giant, wide-mouthed youkai with narrow slits for eyes and a three-haired forehead. She found herself unable to speak. ...With no obvious surprise.

The man reached out with massive arms and picked her up, away from the flames and steadied her against a wall. ...One of the other pirates, a skinny, lanky man with a hooked nose and scrunched up face rolled his eyes and scowled. "Forget her, Manten. Just grab her money and kill her already. We don't have time to fool around." ...The other looked on in amusement. "Hey... that one's a lot better lookin' than the other one y'snuffed. ...You should keep that one!"

"Piece of shit fool... The captain said no hostages! ...What're you trying to get us _flayed?"_

"The captain never has to know... And don'cha raise yer lousy voice to me, ya' sack of shit! ...I know where yer mother lives."

"Why you fucking..."

Kagome's eyes were fixed on the massive face in front of her in fear, while the other two spewed curses to each other's mothers in the background. Manten put his finger under her chin, raising her face a little more. "Hmm... you're quite the sneaky little vixen. ...Hiding from uncle Manten like that." Kagome felt his hand reach up her thigh. ...She gritted her teeth... not only from the pain of having her wounds pressed, but utter disgust as well. ...If she was going to have to be groped by this hideous creature, she'd rather _die._

"Is there a name that comes with that pretty face?"

Kagome wanted to speak. She wanted to move her arms and slap this guy across the face, but they were being pinned down, along with her chest. She gasped for air. His clammy hand moved further up her thigh.

She couldn't take it. Anything was better than being violated by the human toad. "Grrtff...." she managed to gurgle.

Pleased, Manten's crushing grip was temporarily released. "What was that my sweet? ...Greta..?"

With a rush of air to her lungs, Kagome gasped, "Get your goddamn hands... _off me!" With a sudden strength, she freed her pinned arm and raked her fingernails across his face in a painful slap. _

He was knocked back a few feet in both pain and surprise, hand covering his face.

The two arguing pirates had suddenly stopped arguing, and stared. Manten's eyes were wide. ...One of the pirates started to laugh.

"Hahahaha! Way to go Manten! One woman on the ship left and you get the one that fights back!" The bald brute was a little less pleased. He growled, narrowing his eyes.

_Oh Gods..._ Kagome thought with mounting fear. _Here it comes... Her life was about to end. Was this what it was like?_

"You little bitch. You think you can just hit me and get_ away with it_?!" He rushed up to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing against the wall. His face was so close, Kagome could feel his hot breath and see the rake marks she left on his face. "_Nobody hits me! Nobody hits Manten!" With a heavy fist, he punched her on the side of the jaw. Her head smashed into the wall behind her._

Already enduring pain from her burns, disgust from the man's touch, fear from the situation and now the second blow to her head, Kagome felt she was only holding onto consciousness by a thread.

The third pirate tried hard to keep from laughing. "...Isn't that how you like 'em, though? Feisty? Just grab 'er and sneak her into yer cabin, Manten. The cap'n ain't gonna find out."

Manten glanced back at his sea-chum, growling. His angered scowl froze for a moment, before gradually being replaced by a growing smile. He glanced to the other pirate. The second gave him a scowl and hoisted his sack. "It's your ass, you bloody fool. I know nothing about it."

Her worst fear was coming true. Kagome was going to be taken onto this dirty pirate's ship and be used like a piece of tissue... Maybe... if she could get close enough, she could jump over the side of the boat and end it right here. The man's hand was around her throat by the time he turned around with a grin on his face.

"Looks like this is your lucky break after all..."

_...My ass. _Her teeth gritted again.

With a wider cruel grin, he boxed Kagome in the face once more, sending her into her second blackout. With the other two pirates leading the way, he hoisted her over his shoulder and walked down the flaming deck.

~*~

All was rampant, fiery chaos, and Inuyasha stood at the bow of his own ship watching with gleaming eye. ..._This_ was fun. Miroku had long since jumped ships and was now somewhere below, watching over the rowdy excited men from better vantage point. ...Inuyasha stood watch over the loading of _his ship_, arms crossed and pleased.

_...Sweet, hot, succulent Ramen. ...Soon you'll be all mine.._. Inuyasha's eyes closed for a moment with mouth watering bliss, quickly straightening his face with the passing of an underling. ....His ears flattened for a moment, thinking of the embarrassment that would ensue should his men ever find out about his... inspiration for the raid.

_Keh_, he thought. _...But I have a simple solution for laughter... Instinctively, his hand closed around the scabbard at his waist._

"Captain! Captain, sir!"

Dammit. ...There came that infernal squeaking. Clenching his teeth, Inuyasha looked down.

The smallest pirate on board had come bouncing up to the captain's deck with an excited fanged grin. A round pouf of orange and brown, dressed in a tiny striped shirt and single earring, he danced around the hanyou's feet before standing up straight in a customary pirate salute.

Inuyasha growled, suddenly in a bad mood. "...Didn't I tell you that I didn't want more than five minutes of you a day?"

The little fox boy appeared to pay no attention. "I have come to make a status report, captain! All of the hostages have been subdued, and all the food stores emptied, like you asked!"

"...Okay. Thanks. Bye." The kitsune dodged Inuyasha's foot and feigned a hurt look. "...You kill me, captain..."

"If only you'd hold still. ...Do you have anything _important_ to say, Shippou?" Shippou jumped up to the railing and gave the narrow-eyed captain a sly look. "...Well... I did see a few interesting things... now that you mention it... But it'll cost ya."

Less than a second later, the tiny fuzzy pirate was flailing in the air held by his tail, yipping. Inuyasha held him close and growled. "Okay! Okay! Gomen! Gomen!" ...He landed on the floor with a bonk.

Standing up aristocratically and dusting himself off, Shippou ahem'd and leaned close. "Yeah, well... just between you and me, I saw the newcomer Toma slipping some jewelry into his own pockets, instead of bringing it up on deck..."

Petty info. "Yeah... and what else?"

"Ennui and Rapa were bad-mouthing the Second in Command. ...Called him a lecherous wussy." 

...That... would be Miroku to a T. ...But Inuyasha never tolerated insubordination. He made a mental post-it note.

"Yeah... and I saw Manten carrying off some chick."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "So, what else is new?" 

"Maybe... he wants to keep another one?" 

Inuyasha growled again, sick of hearing the high-pitched voice. ...It was starting to ring in his ears. "Get out of my face, you little weasel... and com-"

"...I'm a _fox!"_

"-Come back when you have better shit to report."

The little kitsune hopped away, looking back when he was sure he was out of hearing distance, grumbling. "...Hardass."

_"I heard that!"_

Shippou hauled ass away from the captain with renewed fervor. 

...Standing up on deck, watching, the scene below, a small ocean wind blew past Inuyasha from the south. The men looked like they were about done, Inuyasha noted. ...There was quite a large pile of loot on deck, including several unopened trunks, bags of grain, a life-preserver, (He snorted at that one...) a yellow backpack, and some barrels of what was most likely good, strong sake. ...Good... there were going to be festivities tonight...

Another wind blew past Inuyasha, lifting his hair and carrying with it, a few lingering scents of flame and destruction. He glanced behind him, to see nobody there.

He turned around once more, keeping both eyes plastered to the events below, yet scanning behind him with his sensitive ears. There was something... off... he was searching for.

One of the men below rolled up a large barrel from below. ...Labeled on its side, in large red characters, was the word 'Ramen.' Involuntarily, Inuyasha felt his mouth water. There were _definitely_ going to be festivities tonight. 

...From behind him, a shadow saw it's opportunity.

A sudden whoosh swept past Inuyasha, cutting him off from his dinnertime fantasy and seemingly, also cutting his face with the air pressure. He spun round, dodging. _That's what was off.  The breeze blew again. ...This soft feminine scent, it came from none of his men. _

Inuyasha looked up. A huge, bone boomerang sailed back into the arms of a woman clad in black, her long dark hair swaying with the wind as she glared upon him with fierce, brown eyes. Swooping down, she made another swing at Inuyasha with the large weapon, which he promptly dodged, jumping up on the lookout. 

His eyes narrowed in irritation. "...Who the _fuck_ are you?"

"Hyah!" She wasted no time with a response, leaping upward, letting the bone boomerang slice over his head. "_Shit!_" A few silky strands of hair landed on his lap. "I LIKE my hair long, wench!"

She landed in a graceful flip on the mast, catching her weapon once more. "...You are Inuyasha, are you not?" She said to him, coldy.

His eyes were amber slits by now. "...Who wants to know?"

Hers did the same. "I'm Sango... a bounty hunter." Inuyasha keh'd. ...She lept a little closer, pulling the Hiraikotsu close to her body in preparation.  "...Do you realize... that not only are you worth a hundred and forty million yen... but that you have also just set fire to my entire summer wardrobe?"

Inuyasha tensed for a leap. He spat to his side. ...This one was the fourth bounty hunter in eight months. ...They really did piss him off. "...Cry me a fucking river."

Both leaped at once. The men from below turned their heads in unison to see their captain in hand-to-hand combat with a blurred shadow. Sango flew past Inuyasha, knocking him in the gut. He grasped his side and did a backwards leap onto the main deck. 

...Shit, that really did hurt.

"Alright, bitch." Inuyasha bared his claws and scowled... "...No more nice puppy."  Leaping from the lower deck, to rig, to the captain's deck, he feigned a right forward attack, which he saw the tajiiya anticipate, instead swinging around the mast, catching the bounty hunter by surprise. He struck her with a backward blow, knocking the boomerang out of her hand and causing her to fall... towards the main deck of the ship.

She landed with a heavy _thud_, lying still for a few moments before trying to get up.

Unfortunately for her, that's when Inuyasha made the whistle. Two pirates ran up to the deck, grabbing the woman and pinning her back. ...Inuyasha himself lept down once she was subdued. Walking up to them, he looked her squarely in the eye, arms crossed. "...You bounty hunters *_really*_ are pains in the asses..."  He motioned to his men. "...Disarm her and take her below decks. ...I'll settle on a punishment, later." The men nodded and dragged Sango off, disappearing within the ship. ...Looking away, Inuyasha never noticed the small, catlike animal hiding behind a coil of rope.

He looked out over raided ship. ...The fire seemed to have been controlled. ...He called to the rest of his crew, motioning for them to begin loading things on board. It was dinnertime.

~*~

...Light flooded Kagome's eyes... But... it was not yet morning. 

...Stiff, and sore, she blinked slowly, trying to adjust to the light. ...She was lying on a bed of  stale hay, and there was a lantern hovering over her... Along with a very familiar... and very unwelcome shadow.

"...Good evening, my vixen... Welcome to your new and last home." ...And a peal of malicious laughter ensued.

~*~

AN: Wow... It's three in the morning... Who knew I'd get so caught up in this? I did leave you with another bit of a cliffhanger... Gomen, gomen...I'm trying to be a good girl.

And by the way, to RogueRebel... *grin*


	4. The Bishie Bottle analysis

AN: Thank you, THANK you to all you lovely reviewers out there. You're beautiful. I mean it. ^^ Big hug to Jurei-chan for making me feel so great, along with narco-shiskabob. You're welcome, menchi, and doomo to you too.^^

I'm excited... Tomorrow morning, I'm going to go get my restricted. ...I'm a loser, no? Seventeen, no license. In celebration, I'll try not to leave you guys hanging tonight^^.  I'm armed with a bottle of Mountain Dew Livewire and a bag of white chocolate morsels. This will be a long night.

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 4**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

"Aggh! This isn't working!" The tajiiya slumped against the rotting wood of the cell that now contained her. ...It was a filthy little box, barely large enough for her to lay down completely stretched. ...For the twentieth time since the guard had left the room to... as she'd overheard... 'break the kegs', and since she'd managed to reach for a fallen, broken broomstick, she reached out, trying to reach the keys that hung on a hook a few yards away. ...But her arms weren't getting any longer.

'_Honestly...' Sango thought, grunting and reaching... _'Who leaves dungeon keys in the same room as a prisoner? That's just... well... stupid. _ She dropped the broomstick and reached for it again. _...Then again..._  She answered her own thought a moment later__.  These ARE pirates. ...Not the biggest coconuts in the trees, are they, now? ...Even so, it certainly offered her a glimmer of hope._

The broomstick dropped again with a clang. ...It... was just no use... No matter what angle she tried, it was always short by about a foot. ...She fell back against the walls, hope gone. ...She pulled her knees close to her body, hugging them with her arms. ...Man... It really stunk in here. 

...The air was thick with rotting hay, wood, and urine. ...The only light in the entire room... came from a porthole just above her head and a flickering lantern over by the empty guard's chair.

"How did you get into this situation, Sango?" She began to berate herself out loud.  She knew they were incredible odds when she first set foot onto Inuyasha's ship, prepared to strike, but she just couldn't keep herself from feeling so useless.

"...With a hundred and forty million..." She told herself, trailing off... Her gloved hand slipped into the folds of her outfit, pulling out something small... and silver. She brought it close to her eyes.

With only a bit of a struggle, she pulled the locket open. Hidden inside were two small pictures. ...Both of the same brown-haired, brown-eyed, freckled boy. 

...A tear came to her eye. ..._With a hundred and forty million... I could have purchased your freedom. _It streamed down her cheek _...I'm such a failure..._

Her head leaned back against the wall_._  She had taken the job aboard the _Survivor, swabbing decks and taking tickets with the slim hope of coming across the infamous pirate Whiteclaw, terror to merchants, villages and the like. ...Not only was he currently the most valuable sea dog out there, he was her best chance of buying Kohaku back._

But how was she going to get out of here?

A shadow passed over the porthole, dimming the light in the room. Sango closed her eyes. ...Might as well get some sleep. Either way, she was probably going to walk off the plank tomorrow.

_'Mew!'__  There was a tap on the glass._

Her eyes snapped open. The shadow across the porthole was still.

"..Ki...rara...?" 

~*~

Hrm...Miroku had just grown an extra head... Good... good.

Inuyasha hic'ed as his mug came crashing down on the table. ....This was... such a _nice feeling... He was... a little bird. ...And there were little birds flying over his head... ...Now If only he could __stay drunk, like normal humans. Damn his hanyou regeneration and hardiness._

He took another swig of ale as he felt himself beginning to sober up.

Like after any raid, the mess hall was well... a mess. Pirates hung from the ceiling like chandeliers. There was a game of drinking poker going on in one table, and bets for arm wrestling going on in another. _Pleh_... Inuyasha growled, looking at the beefy crewmen going at it. ..._Weaklings. Somewhere... far off, a table collapsed._

Miroku plopped in front of him, a reddish tinge on his cheeks.

"Banzai, Captain Whiterawl!" He slurred, looking past him. "...Er....Whitecall... Darn it... _Inuyasha_!"

An amused smirk showed up on the hanyou's face. "...Heheheh... you have four eyes."

"Isn't it hard fer you to... eh... keep this stuff down? The houshi reached for Inu's mug.

"Fourteen pints and I'm still feelin' nothing." Miroku's head went sideways and sprouted a horn. "Well... almost..." he said tipsily.

The priest leaned in close, appearing to suddenly think of something.  "So... honestly, captain... man to man..."   

Inuyasha looked up at him lazily. "Aren't we're all fuckin' men here..."

A purple clothed arm went around Inuyasha's back, patting. "Well... we're all _dyin' to know... an' by we, I mean ME..."_

"Uh-huh..." ...*hic* 

"Who the hottie-er... young lady..." 

"...yeah...?"

"...With a nice ass...-"

Intoxicated, Inuyasha growled loudly and grabbed Miroku by the neck collar. The pint of ale spilled over the side of the table. "...Hurry it up, goddammit!!" He gave his friend a good drunk shake.

"-is? The one you tossed in the slammer today..?" Miroku looked sheepish, sweatdropping.

With a drunk pause, Inuyasha looked up, blinking, and carefully set the houshi back on the stool. "Some bounty hunter..." he hic'd. "I think I'll make her walk the plank... what'chu think?"

Miroku looked insulted. "...Before I got a chance to appreciate her beauty up close...? Nonsense, captain!" His head suddenly fell on the tabletop, as intoxicated as his superior. 

...Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. ...One of his men hadn't made it to a toilet bowl somewhere in this room... Bad news for a sensitive doggy sense of smell. And, he could feel himself sobering up fast. He got up.

"Where are you going, Inura... Inusha... uh, captain?" Miroku rolled his head to the side.

"...Out fer a walk." The hanyou was suddenly feeling surly. ...Thank you, alcoholic mood swings. 

He sauntered past the arm-wrestling table, stopping to give a squinting glare to the one winning. ...A wolf youkai with white spiky hair.  "...Weren't you supposed to be guarding the prisoner...?

This one also looked sheepish. He sweatdropped, answering in a whiny voice. "...But... it was Manten's turn to take over.." Grumbling, Inuyasha walked slowly to the door. Didn't any of these morons know better than to leave a prisoner alone in a room with keys?  ...He thought a moment. ...Come to think of it... or leave the keys alone, _period_?  ...He looked around the room. ...Thinking long and hard for a moment, he didn't recall seeing Manten since he dismissed him before the raid. How odd that he wasn't plastered to the keg.

Walking out of the room, he slammed the door. ...Blowing the cards from the poker table up in the air.

"Bastard! You was cheating!"

"Fuckin' oath..."

Miroku raised his heavy head from the table and looked around. Dang... Not a single curve in this room... ...Maybe... he should pay a visit below decks... 

...Or... maybe...

His head hit the table a second time.

~*~

Kagome lay on the hay like a lamb for slaughter. ...At least, that's what she felt like. 

Sheer, mounting horror at the fact that she was about to be violated by some grotesque head with legs sent her head spinning.  

He stood over her, leering. "You know, it'll only hurt for a second. ...Then you'll be riding waves..." A wide, toothy grin erupted with a laugh.  "Shall I tell you more, my raven-headed cherry?"

Oh, _GROSS! He wanted to talk __DIRTY!! Kagome gagged internally. It was going to take all of her willpower to NOT to toss her cookies. ...He set the lantern down on a crate and she looked down... _

...Damn damn damn. Her hands were bound tight with cord. Her leg was red, and throbbing with pain. There was still that nasty burn lingering.

"Um..." she said, scanning around the room frantically, trying to buy some time. He looked up and she hesitated. "...So....um.... big guy.... Tell me, how exactly do you plan to... um... satisfy me?" Her heart pounded. ...She *REALLY* didn't want to hear the answer, but if this guy's ego was as big as his head, then, just maybe he'd be distracted from his... goal.

A surprised look from him, followed by loud, hearty laughter. "Ooh... The boys were right about this one... you _are_ feisty..." He ginned. "...Well my dear..." Kagome fiddled around with the cords on her hands. Turned on her side, she hoped he couldn't see what she was doing. Her face was plastered to his, smiling weakly and nodding as she tuned out every lewd thing he said, trying desperately to get the bindings free.

"...And I always wanted a fresh girl from the coast... They seem so much wilder than the inland women... which is why you're such a prize, don't you see..."

_Gods_... Kagome was dumbstruck. ...For an excited pirate, he sure was very self-absorbed... She felt a loose end in the cord. _There... I got it!_

Manten stopped then, smiling cruelly at her. "...But enough about that.... I know you're just trying to buy yourself time... They always do." ...Kagome sweatdropped. He advanced..." ...Shall we?"

_No, no, no, no, no_... She shut her eyes tightly, fingers struggling with the cord. His evil-looking face loomed. ..._no, no, no, no...__ yes!  They loosened! The gargantuan beast pounced. _

Her hands fell free and came to her sides just as he tossed himself on her. Instinctively, they propelled her back as his hand made a grab at her shirt, ripping it with a sickening tear.

Both were stunned for a moment, wondering why the other wasn't touching them, but Kagome had the advantage on the larger, slow moving youkai. She kicked his face under the chin with as much strength as she could gather. Connecting solidly, she heard a crack. ..._Ooh... teeth..._

The monster lay kneeled on the floor with his hand covering his mouth. A few coughs later, he spit up blood. 

_Quick! Kagome, Find something! _Her eyes darted around the room. _There! A broken chair was in a corner not too far off. Manten looked up at her from the floor, any trace of a smile gone from his face. He coughed again, and a low, unearthly growl came from his mouth. "Bitch... I... am going to kill you..." _

In the blink of an eye he rushed at her, and she ducked. She leaped at the corner and felt her hands grasp a heavy chair leg. 

But... She looked around. Damn! She was trapped! Manten lunged again, grabbing her and lifting her up by the neck, pinning her against the wall. Without her realizing it, That was when the loud, piercing scream finally erupted from her chest.

~*~

Inuyasha wasn't feeling very pleasant. ...Mainly, because the alcohol was nearly entirely gone from his body. ...Secondly, because he had stopped by the kitchen to sample the cook's ramen, finding it tasteless and inedible. ...He wasted no time in grabbing him, and tossing him over the side of the boat.

Lastly, of course... was because Manten the Moron was nowhere to be found. ...And Inuyasha was very impatient. He stormed down the main hallway in the living quarters, slamming random doors open and close, much to the nervousness of come crew. ...A quick sniff told him Manten was nowhere in this hallway. ...The brute's scent was unmistakable. Damn it all. If it were anything, he'd swear he wasn't even on the ship. 

...He punched a wall, heading for downstairs. ...Looks like he was going to have to look over the bounty hunter himself. ...What a waste of time.

Inuyasha grumbled all the way to the end of the hallway. Until... his nose caught a whiff of something... A little bit of Manten..? He paused at the stairs. 

...There was an... unfamiliar smell here. 

...Narrowing his eyes, in suspicion, he walked down the stairs. 

...The deck below was dank and dark... made solely for the containment of prisoners and stores. It was an assault on his nose, and Inuyasha cursed the fact that he had to come down here. He looked down the dark, creaking hallway.  A pirate was asleep by his legs... Or drunk...

His eyes glanced over his side... He... thought he imagined seeing a _flicker underneath the storehouse door..._

Inuyasha shrugged it off... it must have been the lingering booze playing tricks on his sight. He made for the cell room.

...But stopped. ...There it was again. ...That smell. He could have been mistaken, but Manten's scent seemed to linger in this hallway as well. ...Perhaps... he was already in the cell room..?

_No_... He stopped in front of the heavy oaken door of the ship's prison_. ....It would have been stronger_.

Before he could have had time to stand and think about the situation, an ear-shattering, air piercing scream filled the air. Inuyasha was shaken out of any residual drunken stupor_. ...What the hell?! _ Her spun around. 

THAT was NOT one of his men. 

...He took another sniff, suddenly finding Manten's scent and the other strange one stronger. ...They'd had come from the storeroom.

"Don't... tell me..."

~*~

Kagome's lungs were empty. She was being held by the neck. ...For the third time that night, she knew she was going to die. Manten's angered eyes blazed in her face, his enraged, hot breath suffocating her even more than she already was.

_No... I can't die... I can't..._ Kagome's eyes were clamped shut. _Not yet... not like this... Flashes of memory passed before her. She thought of her family... Souta, Mama... and Grandpa. ...She thought of the Buyo, the cat.... purring around her legs. Her teeth were gritted. _....I'm not going to die.... _She opened her eyes, glaring at the youkai. She managed a gasp. "...I'm NOT!!" _

Her legs were still free. So, she kicked him. ...In the jewels. Manten instantly dropped her, doubling over in pain. ...Kagome made a beeline to the broken piece of chair and jumped up, bringing it up... and over her shoulder...

...And between the surprised Manten's eyes.

A frozen scene. ...You could have cut the sudden silence with a knife. ...At first, nothing seemed to happen. Manten looked blankly up at Kagome with slitted eyes. ...Then, those slitted eyes opened wide and bulged. The enormous face turned three shades of red, and Manten slumped over backwards.... out cold.

The makeshift club fell. Kagome didn't seem to notice how heavily she was breathing. Her chest heaved in both relief and lingering fright. She had done it. ...She had stopped him. ...Now, she needed to get out of here...

Her leg was throbbing even worse than before. ...She was sure her face was a least a quarter black and blue, and she had to hold her torn shirt together with her hand to keep from chest spillage. ...Even so, with the handicaps, she ran to that door as fast as she could... her life depended on it. For all she knew, the brute pirate would wake up next minute.

Without any inhibitions, she ran to the door, pulled it open, and ran out.

....Too bad she wasn't expecting someone to already be there.

Her body crashed against the firm chest of a pirate, and the next thing she knew, she had landed on the floor again.

...She was a messy heap in the hallway. ....This was getting tiring.

Inuyasha recovered quickly enough, smelling the person who'd rammed him before seeing her. ....Oh yeah... that was definitely it. The smoke from their hair and tender burned part of the leg was a dead ringer. ...And Manten was inside all right. His blood stunk worse than the hallway itself.  Inuyasha began to sort out what had happened.

"Dammit...." he turned his head to see the girl on the floor. She wasn't facing him, but rather had her back turned. ...She reached up and rubbed her head,

A chill ran down Inu's spine. ...That profile looked familiar.

Gathering his wits, he finally spat. "...Who the hell're _YOU?"_

...Kagome was starting to get a little angry... just a little bit...

 I mean... Here she was... lying in the bowels of a pirate ship, after being attacked by a demon that resembled an overweight toad. ...The toad had HAD her in the first place because she was on a bargain ship generously provided by grandpa... ...AND... Kagome's fist clenched..... to ice it all off, if she didn't have to marry that rich asshat Lord Kouga, _none of this would have happened_!! 

Silently... she stood up and dusted herself off.  Inuyasha blinked. Maybe it was the buzz, but he suddenly couldn't think of anything rude or threatening to say.

"...I'm getting off this ship, now." Her voice sounded slow and steady. "I... want to go home."

Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched. "...Say, _what?_" 

She turned around, eyes burning darkly. "I... want to go home. Thank you. Have a nice day."

Inuyasha was almost taken aback. ...Manten sure looked like he'd had his fun.  ..Speaking of which... he had to remember to kick his ass later on....

His golden eyes narrowed. "Oh _YEAH_?"

Her fists clenched tighter. "_Yeah_!"

"....Then I sure as hell hope you know how to swim."

~*~

"That's right, Kirara! Just grab it...! Good girl..." Sango's heart was about to soar.

The red-eyed neko hopped to her master with a jingle of keys and happy mew.  "...What a relief..!"

Turn. Click. The imprisoned tajiiya was out of her cage. Kirara jumped into her arms.  "Good... now let's find a way out of here..."

~*~

AN: ...Oh, wow.. I'm tired... I can't even think... but, I wanted to post this so badly, I HAD to keep writing! ..I'm sorry for the short, semi-poor chapter...

Well... Inu and Kag have finally met... but it doesn't look like love at first site...what'll happen next? Thank you once again to all my reviewers. You make me weep with joy.


	5. Miroku works the 'ole charm

AN: I can already smell that this'll be a long chapter... I have to apologize.... IMMENSELY for getting this chappie up to you guys so late.... You see, my parents surprised me with a little mini-vacation over the weekend. ...By mini, I meant endless... My brother just graduated UF (University of Florida), whoopee, and we moved him back down with us. Permanently. ...I'm happy^^

I'm also very, very happy to thank Kurei for being such a faithful reviewer, *glomps* As well as golden lover and others for their awesome compliments. :D ..I'm having a little bit of mind block, for forgive me in advance for any potential suckiness in this chapter. And to all those curious, yes, this also a S/M. 

Enjoy. ^.~

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 5**

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Miroku was by no means a chaste priest. ... He was... barely a priest. ...It was by no miracle whatsoever that he found his way to Inuyasha's ship, having been chased out of town after town before stowing away in the WRONG ship in the harbor. ...Being discovered by a certain white-haired deck swabber a week after setting sail. ...As said. ...Miroku was not a chaste priest.

Which is why, only a quarter sober and clamoring on deck, he felt not even the least bit of embarrassed about hitting on the wooden mermaid. His hands ran over wooden nether-regions. ....Her silent charm so appealing... The soft features of her face almost... sculpted.

Miroku ran to the side of the boat and threw-up.

Picking up whatever dignity he had left off the floor was not an option now. ...He plopped down on the smooth wooden deck, laying, head against the base of his lovely mermaid's tail. He looked up at the sky.... now beginning to lighten around the edges with morning. ...That's funny... There were double the stars than he last remembered. ...And they seemed to be dancing... He closed his eyes.

"Nothing to do now but wait..." he told to nobody in particular. ...Knowing how stupid he'd feel when he was regular again, Miroku decided that to think about his drunken behavior now was like salt in the papercut, and pushed it away... deciding to fall asleep.

~*~

Two sets of eyes glared at each other in locked hostility. Two sets of teeth were bared, and four fists were clenched.

Kagome glared at the stranger_. ...Not much of a pirate,_ she thought condescendingly. …Skinny... with a baggy red outfit. ...Not the least bit tattooed, scarred, or pierced. …He had long, long white hair, bright golden eyes, and what seemed like.... puppy ears on his head. ...Puppy ears? ..._Hmmph_, she thought_.  He's not tough at all. …I bet he's a mop boy.  _

First impressions were not all peaches with Inuyasha either. 

...Who the hell was this hostile, annoying woman, and _WHY_ was she acting so damn bold? ...She should have been cowering in fear, dammit, Inuyasha thought with irritation. ...FEAR. 

Top to bottom, she wasn't much to look at, that was for sure... Messy black hair, patches of black and blue on her face... and.... he noted, _almost blushing.... (out of masculine modesty, of course) ....a very torn shirt. ...Thank the gods for dark hallways. ...Her deep brown eyes were wide and fierce, though, looking at him._

Kagome saw the mop boy's eyes traveling down her face and linger... at her chest. To his own defense, he couldn't help himself. Kagome stood, both fists by her side and teeth gritted, forgetting temporarily about her suddenly ...exposed endowments. 

She glanced down. ...Oh my gods.  

"You lecher!" She quickly pulled her shirt together, red creeping up her face. What the hell _was_ this? Treat-Kagome-Like-a-Piece-of- Meat Day?" "...How dare you ogle me!"

Inuyasha eyes averted quickly, before he recovered himself and shot back. Annoying or not, she had guts. "Who's ogling? It's kind of HARD when you have the chest of a twelve year old boy!"

She sputtered. How...did he just… go there? What he lacked in muscle he made up for in foul-mouth. "I've got a C-cup, thank you very much!" she spat.

Oh my. ...Did she just say that? Kagome's mouth bit itself after she said that, and she turned another shade of red. "I mean... I mean... SINCE WHEN WERE YOU ALLOWED TO JUDGE?"

Inuyasha's eye's narrowed at her again. "I'll be asking the questions here, wench."

"Your mother." She spat. Kagome's fear was waning. ...This guy was a wuss! A perverted, rude, annoying pansy! Her anger was steadily taking over her body. 

Inuyasha growled. He bared his claws, flexing them before her eyes. "...Watch your mouth, bitch. I have a good mind to toss you off my ship!"

"...Oh YEAH?" She was too angry to pay heed to threats. "Just try it! ...C'mon, just _try and grab me!" Kagome's heart was starting to pound. ...Of anger, mainly, she figured.  ...The word 'my', attached to 'ship', just seemed to pass her by._

That's it. Inuyasha's yellow eyes darkened. ...This girl was begging to be taught a lesson. Unused to verbal abuse, his anger mounted. ...NO ONE bad-mouths the captain. NO ONE. 

Inuyasha took a step forward. ...She saw his action and reacted instantly, stepping back. Her foot stumbled_. Get a grip, Kagome_... She shook her head.

Was he going to attack her? She tensed._ I can take him... You can fight it Kagome... You're not going under here..._ She kneeled down, picking up a piece of stone ballast that seemed to appear at her feet. In less than a minute, her heart had started to pound significantly harder. 

Inuyasha watched her actions with partial anger and partial interest. ...Oooh. Now she was picking up _rocks_. ...Still yet, he was amazed at her bravery. ...Not many girls kidnapped had the gall to fight back on a ship full of pirates. 

Inuyasha, he realized then, was a little surprised at himself as well. He was the feared Captain Whiteclaw. He killed without hesitation, without remorse. Manten's raggedy love slave had already done more than her share of pissing off, and she was here, still breathing. 

...He shrugged it off as miraculous drunk behavior. ... They do happen when fourteen pints of grog are infiltrated in your bloodstream. 

Inuyasha started storming over to her. Her eyes narrowed as well and she chucked the rock at his head. It sailed clean between the ears. ...Leaving a red-sea part in his fluffy white bangs.

His hands jumped up and he patted it down. "Aggh! Damn you, bitch!" …That's it. She was jumping the plank. ...Now. 

 She had grasped that rock with amazing grip. ...A little too amazing. Her hand had started to bleed. ...Not that she seemed to notice...

Kagome's heartbeat picked up even more. It was… It was going to burst from her chest. ...What... was going on? ....She backed up, leaning against a wall. ...Her body suddenly seemed to flush with heat. Inuyasha stopped advancing. ...The woman was now clutching her chest and heaving. 

She looked at him, wide-eyed and gasping. "What...what's happening to me...?"

A cruel grin appeared on his face. ...How convenient. Not five minutes and she was already going down for the count. This will make tossing a whole lot easier.

"…Not so high and mighty now, are you, bitch?" He noticed a few drops of sweat appearing on her forehead. ...the scent of blood also reached his nose. ...he looked down, seeing a trickle of red dripping from her hand. …What was this feeling nagging at the back of his mind? ...Inuyasha was going to pick her up and make her swim... he wanted toss her. Didn't he? ...Inuyasha remained frozen in place five feet away from the girl who was now heaving and sweating. 

Somehow, the idea of killing this helpless creature was growing less and less appealing. Inuyasha growled at himself for the tiny infiltration of mercy.

...The very same tiny, nagging feeling in the back of his mind told him that he knew this girl. ...Did... they ever meet? 

"You... *gasp gasp* ...bastard. ...Just leave me alone..."

He caught the whiff of another scent on her skin. ...The scent of the idiot, Manten. Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. That asshat really did stink it up. 

Then, with widened eyes as the familiarity of the smell settled in, he made a sudden realization. ...A quick memory of a burial at sea that had taken place a while before flashed before his eyes... One of his crewmen had died, quivering and gasping much like the wench here now... because he'd gotten into a bar-brawl with the big-headed youkai. How could he forget?

..Manten's touch was poisonous.

He never saw himself walk toward her. He only realized he was touching her when he pulled his hand away. ...Her skin burned with internal heat.

Kagome, on the other hand, was no longer seeing. Her vision had blurred and suddenly gotten a lot brighter. Inuyasha stood over her grimly. 

He didn't like her. ...Hell, he didn't even know her. She was annoying, weak and aggravating. Two seconds ago, he was prepared to feed her to the fish. ...Then... why was Inuyasha feeling such an unfamiliar emotion? What was WITH this surge of pity? He looked down at her again.

She had slumped over on the ground. ...Her body was now trembling. The cruel part of Inuyasha spoke into his mind. _...Let the bitch sleep. …Now you can go back to the pints. _

The other part said nothing, but it was the one that acted... Inuyasha bent down and hoisted the woman in his arms. What he was doing, he didn't know, and what could be done for her he knew even less. Her arms dangled limply to the floor.

Pausing, Inuyasha thought of the only person who could remotely have been of any help. ...His room was not too far off. 

~*~

This, was not going to be easy. ...How do you manage to evade an entire ship of pirates while maintaining cover, and find a secluded enough place to fly off so as to avoid pirate bullets? ...Sango sighed, peeking around the corner outside her cell room. ...Nobody in sight. Kirara gave a happy mew next to her, and the tajiiya was more than willing to offer her pet a scratch behind the ears.

With years of stealth and observance training behind her, Sango silenced Kirara's purring and listened. ...She could hear two people talking. ...Outside the main dungeon room door. With silent steps that would have made an Indian jealous, she made her way to the oaken door. ...Good... there was an open space on top. She quietly hoisted herself up and took a peek outside.

It was hard to tell through the dirty glass, but it looked like the captain was just outside the door. She ducked quickly. She was not underestimating her foe this time.  After all, he was a hanyou, wasn't he? She had to keep her scent hidden. Sango looked around, unsure of what to do. ....This is the only exit out of the dungeon room, isn't it? She cursed at her bad fortune.

Sango got up again, hoisting herself up to look outside. ...The captain was still there. ...She could see only smudges of his color, really... but he looked to be holding something... Sango jumped down again, pressing her ear against the door. ..His footsteps were slow, but when the telltale creak of the stairwell came, Sango began to let the tension in her body ease. ...Maybe, she was going to be able to get out afterall. Counting slowly until five minutes were up, Sango took a deep breath and cracked open the door. ...Years of dirty dust fell from the frame as she did.

She looked outside. ...The passageway was empty. ...Except for a pirate in the corner, snoring loudly. ....An empty jug of ale dripped beside him. ....Sango half-smiled. 

...If all the pirates on the ship were like that, she'd have a much easier time with this escape.

To her left, an open doorway flickered with light inside. ....She'd best hurry this up...

Motioning to Kirara, the tajiiya made her way for the creaking stairwell. ...With a mew the youkai cat acknowledged.  Sango looked up the stairs, listening. ...Good... nobody was around. She placed her foot on the step.

The creak of the stairwell was muffled by the sudden growl that erupted from Kirara. Sango looked down, to see the white fur of the demon cat standing on end, her facing behind them both. 

A raspy, groan came from ten yards behind, then, in what seemed like disbelief...

"Fuck... Is that... _another woman_...?

The exterminator didn't miss a beat. Somersaulting backwards towards the pirate, whoever it was, she called out to Kirara to change. Her boots connected squarely with the chest of something very large, and very dense. He went down with an 'oof', writhing on the floor. Sango bounced to her feet, and Kirara moved in. 

The demon cat-turned-lion pounced on a very surprised and very large youkai with three solitary hairs. The pirate didn't even have time to yell before his furry assailant roared and sunk her fangs into his collar. 

...The youkai's mouth opened, wanting to say something... trying to say something... but nothing came out but a gurgle... and purplish blood... He tensed as Kirara pulled her teeth out of him, gasped once....then lay still... nothing more to ever come out of his lips.

The demon cat sniffed once. ...The danger gone, a swirl of fire appeared, leaving the cat as she once was.  ...Sango bent down and received her partner in her arms. "You're going to get a big dinner for that..." she said with a squeeze. ....Kirara only purred.

Sango went up the stairs. ...In the same stealthy manner, and back turned, she took a look around. ...A small number of pirates were at the end, drunk as all else and doing... something she'd never seen..

"Ey...ey! Toma.. yer doing it all wroooong...." The pinstriped pirate pushed another, causing him to fall loosely to the ground. "...It's hand, hand, then flap, flap... and THEN you twist down... like this...." The pirate hiccupped and started to sing...

"I can't believe... I'm doing this... I must be nuts...." ...Sango almost snickered. There was a chorus of cheers from the other pirates. "...Way t'show 'em the chicken!" cried a drunken spectator. ...Sango reached into her pocket.... and pulled out a firecracker. ...._Father was right...._ she mused... _these really do come in handy_.

A lit firecracker soon landed in the middle of the hallway. Every pirate there ducked when it went off. Sango hid. ...When they all came to investigate, she dispatched them all effortlessly. 

"Hmmm... this is getting to be too easy..." 

Feeling blessed with her good luck but still wary, the tajiiya and her cat scaled yet another flight of stairs. ...YES! an exit! ...She could see an open frame to the far end of this passage, but just before it... was the mess hall. Curse it.

 "What do you think Kirara..?" She kneeled down to the floor. The cat looked up at her, looking a bit listless. "Should we make a run for it?"

'_Mew_!'

Sango frowned... it was her only option at this time... This was her only way out of the ship, and she knew it would be crazy to try to take on an entire room full of pirates at the same time... Or more like suicide...even if they _were drunk..._

She breathed... she was almost out of here... almost free. She would go back to the agency and save Whiteclaw for later. She was still for a moment, tensing her muscles.

She exploded down the passage at full speed, going down midway in a flurry of somersaults. Two feet from the open mess hall doorway, she concentrated all of her spring in her arms, throwing herself into the air like a rocket...

...And sailing cleanly over the frame. ...Kirara followed, hopping down the hallway after. Sango hid herself watched her pet anxiously, praying she wouldn't be seen. She was looking a little sluggish, she noted. The fuzzy youkai dove straight in front of the door, to a relieved breath from Sango. 

... At last... they were _free_!

_Now...__ Sango thought. ...I need to find my Hiraikotsu... _Where did it fall to again..?__

Avoiding the roaming pirates on deck was easy enough... It was still dark outside, and there were only maybe four or five sparsely scattered... 

Eventually, she found herself and Kirara near the bow. ....This was where she lost... to Inuyasha. .

..Her fists clenched, unwittingly. ...She looked over the water as she crept along the wooden deck. Ahh! There was Hiraikotsu! ...Wedged neatly underneath a wooden mermaid. Narrow deckway turned into the wide space of the bow. Sango, wary of any potential pirates, crept along the walls. Seeing nobody, she walked out into the open and made for the weapon.  ...But... she stopped short. She spied something purple lying on the floor. 

Sango let out an audible gasp. "...A houshi...?"

~*~

The door to a messy pirate's cabin was kicked open with a loud BLAM. Something fell off the walls and broke. Inuyasha, with a sincere look of irritation, walked over to a short, bald little man sleeping soundly on a chair. The green-skirted girl in his arms had started to quiver violently. The hanyou stormed over to the man and gave him a good, solid kick.

"Wake up, you senile old coot!"

The shrimpy man opened his enormous eyes lazily from the floor and stretched some.  "Oh, Inuyasha-sama... have you come for some more sword grease...? You can't polish it enough, you know..." He gave a large, noisy yawn. Inuyasha took Kagome to the small bed in the corner, kicking off a few boxes and bottles. She turned to the side and coughed up some blood. Inuyasha stormed back to the sleepy man on the floor and hoisted him up by the collar, much to his yelping. "Inuyasha-sama! Inuyasha-sama! …What have I done?! Let this Myouga live!" The captain pointed a clawed finger towards the bed. 

"You see that girl, Myouga?" The old man nodded fervently.  "...That girl touched Manten. Repeatedly. Now do something and fix her up before I get even more pissed off. ...I'm going to go find my Second-in-Command." He dropped the tiny doctor to the floor and turned to walk out of the door. The old man rubbed his head and reached out toward the captain. "B-b-but.. Captain... Wait!"

Inuyasha turned partially with a daunting eye. "Yeah?"

"What do you want me to do? She's... she probably already too far gone!-"

"That's YOUR problem, now." 

"...And... and _why_?"

Inuyasha was turned at the doorway. He was silent for a second.  "...I need a new cook." 

Wordlessly, he disappeared.

Myouga was left sitting wide-eyed on the floor for a minute.  His attention turned to Kagome when she coughed up more blood, rasping. The small, elder rushed to her side, taking a few vital signs and then running over to his medicine cabinet, pulling a multitude of bottles from the shelves. He ran back to her side. 

"Darn it..." he muttered. "...The only way she'll live is if I can draw out most of the poison..." He opened her mouth and poured some liquid into it which Kagome swallowed reflexively. "All right…" the doctor muttered. He positioned his large needle over her skin. "…Forgive me, madam... but this is going to hurt..."

~*~

Sango stared at the purple-robed man lying lifelessly on the floor. ...A houshi...? _On a pirate ship..? Her eyes flickered over to the golden staff laying a few meters away. ...This... was absolutely unforgivable. …The pirates had taken prisoner a man of Buddha! How…how could they?_

The exterminator ran over to the man and kneeled beside him. Carefully, she turned him over. ...She had to be careful. ...Why, he could have already been tortured and beaten... She couldn't risk any broken bones... And... It was her duty, on her honor as a tajiiya, to aid a holy man. ...She checked for any signs of life. ...He seemed to be out cold. His heart pressure was low, and the man was clammy to the touch. She put his head in her lap.

"Houshi-dono?  ...Houshi-dono? Are you alright...?" She shook him gently.

Miroku was in the middle of a very pleasant drunken dream. A harem... a big-chested, scantily clad harem was dancing circles around him. ...Touching him. ...Massaging him, shaking him.

...Shaking him?

"Houshi-dono!" One of them giggled. "Do me, Houshi-dono!" ...The priest could hardly believe his good luck. Her breasts hung in his face and he let out a dream-like smile. "Ah, my fair dove... please... say that one more time... Make your priest happy."

She giggled once more... "Houshi-dono... wake up, houshi-dono!" The dancing blonde behind him gave him a rather rough shake. He felt himself grow heavier with consciousness. "...Too short of a dream this has been..." he thought, sadly.

...He opened his eyes slowly, pained. Blinding light flooded in, much to his discomfort.

Sango felt a wave of relief. He didn't look to be injured, at the very least. Miroku was squinting as his eyes grew accustomed to the light. ...There was a dark shape above him... A dark shape... with long, silky hair... And... and breasts?

"Are you alright... Houshi-dono...?" ...The blue-eyed monk slowly opened his eyes and stared at her. She gazed down upon him in concern. …Miroku opened his mouth a bit.

"My lady… Are you… an angel?"

The handsome man was looking at Sango so searchingly that she couldn't help but feel a small bit of red creep onto her face. "Well... no, houshi... but I am here to help you... Tell me... are you injured?" She pulled the man's back to a sitting position. Miroku still felt the presence of booze in his bloodstream, but that all changed in the presence of a lady.

He shook his head sadly and feigned a pained side. "I'm afraid so... my lady... I fear... I have naught time to live..." he turned to the beautiful woman. Sango's face was a mixture of concern and anger. "Those vile pirates... how could they? Harm a man of God! ...Come, houshi... I can get you away from this ship... do you think you can stand...?"

Miroku looked at her with sad, deep blue eyes. "...I fear I cannot, sweet maiden... But..." The imaginary stab in his side stung again. "I have... but one thing to ask..."

Sango looked back at him determinedly. "Yes, houshi! ...Anything to help!"

"Will you..." he leaned in closely and took the tajiiya's hand. 

"Will you please... bear my child?"

...Sango stiffened and turned tomato red. ...There was alcohol on the monk's breath. And something grabbing her butt.

...

...The slap was audible a mile away.

Miroku, the lecherous monk was left writhing on the deck floor in pain. Sango reached over, grabbing Hiraikotsu and strapping it over her back. She hmph'ed loudly, still sweatdropping.  

"Corrupted priest! ...I can't believe even you would go so low as to deal with pirates..."

Miroku rubbed his blazing cheek tenderly and gave her a sheepish look, then hung his head. "...Forgive me... I was too dazzled by your beauty to think clear-"

"Shut up! You're a drunk and lecherous sea dog! ...Tell your captain I will be back for his head." She turned. "...Kirara!" 

Miroku stood, still half tipsy, watching the fiery woman turn with the large weapon strapped to her back. "But... my lady..." he started shamefacedly, "I pray ask... how do you intend to get off the ship? There are no small boats which we have to use and there is nothing but water for miles..."

The woman gave him a dirty look and walked past him. "That... is none of your concern, houshi. I have my resources. Kirara!"

Sango looked around. ...Where had she gone to? The last time the youkai neko was underfoot, Sango had been about to walk into the open bow. The monk leaned over to pick up his staff from the corner of her eye. He fell, trying.

"Kirara..?"

Sango walked back to the deckway she had stood moments earlier. This was unusual. Kirara never wandered away unless told to. ...Sango glanced down the deck and spotted her furry partner, lying on her side. ...Motionless.

Immediate concern filled the tajiiya and she rushed to Kirara's side picking up the small, limp cat. "...Kirara...?" ...She heard a small, piteous mew. The concern was suddenly replaced with fear. No... Kirara... was not moving. In fact, she seemed to have trouble breathing. Her mouth hung open, gasping for air. 

"Oh no! Kirara! Are you alright...?!" Sango grew panicked and knelt down to the floor.

What on earth was wrong?! Was Kirara injured without her knowing it? Had she hit herself upon boarding the ship? Sango's fear continued to mount. ...If Kirara couldn't move... they couldn't get off the ship. ...If Kirara was mortally wounded, she'd have nobody to turn to for help. The tajiiya grasped the cat and held her close to her chest. ...A fearful tear welled up underneath her eyelids.

Miroku had finally achieved standing. ...Barely, but he was vertical. Leaning against his chest, he looked around the deck. ....Now, where had that blindingly beautiful prisoner gone to? ...Miroku hobbled over to the deck side. The woman was there... kneeling, and trembling like somebody had killed her pet. [AN: Gomen for the corny pun. P]

_The lady is upset...?_ The monk furrowed his brow. _Then I, MIROKU, must aid her distress!  Sango heard the heavy, uneven footsteps behind her get closer and closer. ...Yet, that worry wasn't plaguing her mind at the moment. _

...Nothing seemed to work to revive Kirara. ...She had simply, and mysteriously, fallen. ...She didn't even realize when the monk was standing over her and the unconscious neko. Finally noticing the shadow, she glanced up to see his serious and puzzled expression. ...Not at her, but at what she was holding. 

"What is it that ails you, milady? I take it that... that furry beast is yours?"

Sango didn't know whether to retort nastily to the annoying monk or break down in tears and panic. ...Something needed to be done about Kirara. Sango just felt her head nod, numbly.

Miroku tilted his head. "And... I take it she was not always like this...?"

Biting back a nasty answer to the stupid question, she managed instead, with broken voice, "...She... just collapsed..." 

Sango didn't want to ask this man for help... she really would rather have walked off the plank. ...But....if then, how was Kirara to live?

"Please..." she looked away from his face. "...Please help her... You... you have my submission." 

Miroku didn't seem to hear her. Or, pretended not to. "...So, this was sudden. Was it..? Did your pet swallow or touch anything or anybody? Perhaps..." he looked at her face. "...Perhaps... a large, balding youkai pirate...?"

Sango's eyes shot open. Her mind flashed back to the brute Kirara had felled below decks on the ship. Kirara had sunk her teeth into him. ...Tasted him... She looked directly at the monk. "....Poison....?" 

He nodded, gravely. "...I fear your pet has ingested the poison of one of our ship's less popular crewmembers. ...I fear the last incident involving him and another who touched his skin ended in death." Sango swallowed hard. She was trying hard not to cry. ...Not in front of this... pirate. 

There was a hand on her shoulder. She looked up again. The houshi had a gentler look to him. Nevertheless, she pulled away at his touch.

"Come.  ...Luckily, there is an antidote. ...As we all learn from our mistakes. ...But.... you must stay close to me."  She hated hearing those last words. But... it had to be done.

"Houshi..." She had her face turned downward again with a gritted expression.  "...All that I ask.... is that you save the life of Kirara. ...You may punish me then, as you wish." 

She heard a small bit of laughter as he hobbled in front of her. Her head rose and the monk was chuckling. "Milady... _I'm certainly not going to kill you... If you are worried. ...And, I am the second in command on this ship. ...You... may leave the captain to me."_

_...Second-in-Command...?_ Sango pulled Kirara closer to herself as she followed the young monk back, down into the ship. ...Somehow, that wasn't very comforting.

~*~

A hot beam of sunlight was shining in her face.

...Kagome woke up, covered in sweat. 

...It was the blankets fault, though. ...She reflexively kicked the rough burlap covering off of her and lay on the blanket-less cot, dazed and confused.

It looked like it was morning... Kagome wiped her brow, uncomfortable in the beds heat. ...She felt so stiff... ...Why...? Come to think of it.... where... She bolted upright.

Where _was she?_

She took in the room, barely breathing. ...She was still on the pirate's ship. ...She was still kidnapped.  But.... She reached down and felt chest and legs. ....She was still alive.

...The room was cluttered with bottles and boxes... Medicine bottles... and supply boxes. There were rolls of gauze bandages stacked neatly against the door.... and she was all alone in the room. Beside her, were two more cots. ...Fresh and pressed. This means... this is a sick bay?

Kagome got out of bed, feeling very stiff and weak, as if her muscles had suddenly atrophied. ...She didn't seem to notice that the burn on her leg had mysteriously disappeared.

She made her way to a large chair next to a desk in the room, sitting down. ...She was already tired. ...her eyes flickered over to a few miscellaneous items on the desk... A mug stuffed with feather pens... a pile of paper... what looked like a hardbound log, or journal... and a calendar... hanging over it all. Kagome glanced at it for a few minutes, not thinking of it very much. ...There were X's on the days, all the way down to the fifteenth, she noted.

Kagome stared at it some more. ...The fifteenth... Didn't that seem a little... much...? Wait a minute...

Her brow furrowed in concentration. ...She had left home on the seventh. Kagome looked down at the place on her leg that had been scorched by the ship's fire. There was nothing but clean skin. Her hand rose to her face. ...Nothing tender... nothing swollen. ...Then that means...

She had slept for a week.

The door opened behind her. Kagome automatically tensed. ...A light, cheery, elderly voice spoke up from behind her. "Ah! ...You've finally awakened! Captain Inuyasha-sama will be pleased to hear it!" Kagome turned to see a tiny bald man with a few whiskers come in the room and place another box down on the floor. He looked up at her and smile. "...He's been hungry for quite awhile, you know!"

Kagome's eyes bulged. ...Unfortunately for her, she didn't take it as he meant.

~*~

AN: Again... Gomen gomen gomen gomen gomen for getting this chapter up to you so late! ...I wallow in my own shame... It pains me...:( Also, you'll have to forgive my crappy, crappy writing.. It's horribly late and I don't think I was as good as I should've been.  U_U  I hope chapter 6 comes along MUCH faster... I left you a much smaller cliffie this time around, though^^.... Kagome took the doctors info a little... literally. Please stay tuned, and while you're at it, drop that little review.^^


	6. Hell's kitchen with a hint of lemon

AN: Ohayo, minna! ...How's it been? Good? Great. ...I finally grabbed a few friends and went to see what all the pirate fuss was about. ...I finally saw Pirates of the Caribbean. I had one of the front seats, where the screen was ginormous and you could see the little beads of sweat on Johnny Depp's strong, greasy, chiseled face. ...*orgasms* ...Oh... pardon me. 

I had no idea what I was missing. ...I now feel complete. Inuyasha came along for the ride. He carried my drinks and paid for my popcorn, like a good little lap dog.

Inuyasha: (_Comes over and knocks Lady Donut over the head with a sankon tessou) I... beg your pardon? ...I was certainly NOT a lap dog! What a load of tosh!_

Me: (_rubbing __head) ...Ah... bit of a refined chap, aren't you?_

Inuyasha: (_growls)_

Me: ...Go off somewhere and glomp Kagome.

Inuyasha: I would if you fuckin' LET ME, you baka otaku wench! (growls and pounces on me again)

Me: (dodges) ...In time, Inu-poo... in time...

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 6**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

'Gamyou! What's wrong, miss? You look like you're about to get eaten!" The shrimpy doctor tilted a head at wide-eyed Kagome. She shuddered a little. _....It's just one picnic after another, isn't it? ...Wait.... She peered at the doctor who looked back at her with kind, somewhat curious eyes. ....This one... didn't seem like the rest...._

"You mean..." she spoke timidly. "...I'm NOT going to get eaten?" The flea-man's big eyes got even bigger. "EATEN? Why.... whatever gave you _that idea?"_

"But you just said...."

"Yes, yes... Captain Inuyasha has been hungry for the past week... ever since he threw our old chef off the side of the boat." He bent over and tore open the box on the floor. ...Kagome felt a mild wince go through her. ...That didn't seem like a very fun way to go.

"So..." she put it together. "...I'm supposed to... cook for this... Inuyasha... is that what you're saying...?" Myouga dug a syringe out of the box along with a bottle of clear liquid. "Gamyou! This is the one! Hold out your arm, young lady..." 

He paused as Kagome gave a comical expression of sheer terror.  "Erm... what IS your name..?"

"I'm...um... I'm Kagome...." she said shakily, eyeing the long, sparkling needle. ...She hated them back when she was five... and she hated them now. ...Besides... could she REALLY trust this... this pirate, even if he wasn't another Manten?

"Gamyou..." he nodded and took her arm. "I am Myouga, the ship's doctor... I'm the one they all come to when they've had too much to drink or weren't careful with their swords..." He shook his head sadly, muttering to himself. "...And what a waste of my talent it is..."

Kagome yanked her arm away and hugged it to her chest. "Wait just a minute... you're not giving me a shot just like that, without telling me what it is! ...And... and..." She took another glance around. "...Just where am I, anyway...? I have yet to figure that one out...." Myouga chuckled a bit, shooting some of the fluid out from the needle. "You have nothing to worry about, Kagome-sama. This..." He held up the container.  "...is simply a liquid antibiotic to make sure the last of the poison in you has gone and will not return. You have already had one week's worth of them!"

Kagome bent down on her knees, getting closer to the doctor. "...I was... poisoned? ...Is that why I woke up here...?" She didn't know this man... but oddly, she was surprised at herself for her lack of fear. ...He just seemed rather trustworthy. ...As far as a pirate could get, anyway. ...She hesitantly held her arm out to the doctor, looking away from the evil needle. _...If he wanted to kill me,_ she thought with reason. _...He's wasted a week..._

"Hai, you were poisoned to the brink of death, you were.  ...The skin of that scurvy Manten was quite the toxin. I assure you, madam... Had you been brought in not half an hour later, you would have died..." he busily wiped her arm with a cloth. "...You were not the only victim, as well... gamyou...." Kagome's attention was cut when the needle pinched her skin. She bit her lip at the tiny stab.

"...There... all done, Kagome-sama!" 

The doctor's words reached her then, and Kagome blinked and she replayed them in her mind.  "...Did you say... I was brought in... by a _pirate?" _

She rubbed her arm in the sore spot as the doctor tossed the needle. 

He looked up at her with surprise, then with a prick of disappointment. "...My lady... is it really so hard to believe that your life could have been saved by one of our own?" He stood up tall with exaggerated dignity, puffing out his chest. "...Not all of us are common sea ruffians! We DO at times show human emotion and human civility! ....Because... we are all humans as well!" he paused, thinking it over.  "...Well... most of us, anyway... We are gentlemen of the sea..." he trailed off.

Kagome blinked. So she was brought in by a pirate... after all that trauma, it turned out she owed her life to one. ...But.... she wasn't exactly prepared to show gratitude...

Kagome stood and the doctor returned to earth. "...Are you feeling better, Kagome-sama?" 

...She stretched a bit, feeling herself for any memory of pain. "...As a matter of fact... yes, I really am..." ...The shot she'd just been given seemed to fill her body with a surge of energy. She was feeling more normal, now, like she had before her whole ordeal.

"I feel wonderful..." She looked at the doctor who grinned happily. Kagome smiled appreciatively in return. "Thank you, Myouga-ji."

Myouga nodded. He walked over to the desk and pulled out a small bottle, then handing them to Kagome. "Here... take these every hour or whenever you're feeling tired. I had to take a lot of blood from you to take the poison out, so get plenty of rest as well. ...And come back to see me when you return from your shift in the kitchen."  

_....What...?_ ...She'd temporarily forgotten that detail. "...Shift... in the kitchen?"

"Yes, m'lady."

"...So... this Inuyasha guy really wants me to COOK for him?"

Myouga folding his arms across his chest, and nodded sagely. "...If you ask me, Lady, eating our last cook's food was worse than starving... I take it the captain is requiring you to 'earn your keep', so to say, and your help in the kitchen would be greatly appreciated..."

_....Working on a pirate ship..._ Kagome clenched her jaw._ ...I never saw that one coming... She turned her gaze to the porthole and it's shifting sea outside. Her thoughts drifted and she felt herself involuntarily relax.. __....Though... at least... this means I won't..._

"Of course... you needn't be lonely..." Kagome looked down at the doctor. "...From what I hear, we have recently acquired another chef... She could probably use your help as well..."

Kagome tilted her head, puzzled. "_..._She...?"

~*~

...Once, when she was ten, Kagome's mom and grandpa had gone out for an afternoon, leaving her to sit after Souta. ...The servants had retired to their quarters for the evening, and Kagome had gone to her room, proud in her brother management skills. ...The brat had fallen sound asleep in bed, and all it took was a long reading from Grandpa's _101 Ways to Make Medicine on a __Desert__ _Island_.  Though.... now that she thought about it.... That book had been pretty pointless. ...Kagome had lain down on her bed, letting herself drift slowly as she waited for the sound of Mama's feet to come through the door.  ...It seemed like her eyes had been closed for a minute... when the terrible crash had shaken her out of it from downstairs._

...It sounded like... a hailstorm of falling cans. ...And barrels. ...and glass. Terrified of bandits, Kagome had grabbed the closest 'dangerous' thing at hand, a pink umbrella, and had crept downstairs to make the thief meet its maker.

....Only, when she'd gotten to the large kitchen, the light was already on and upon peeking in... 

The umbrella had dropped to her feet.

That was no 'thief'.  That was Souta. ...And the walls were suddenly painted to his liking. Sitting gleefully in mound of flour and covered head to foot in... food, the demon brat tossed a container of preserves at an uncolored wall. Pots were littered like fallen armor on a battlefield. The icebox had fallen over and was now leaking a beautiful, rainbow liquid. Every inch of the kitchen was covered in a fine layer of flour. Souta just giggled in mischief, then looked up at his wide-eyed sister with an angelic grin.

...Kagome's jaw had dropped then...

...

....Much like her jaw dropped now.

...This... was no kitchen. This was worse than Souta's mischief . ....This... this... This was _chaos_.

A reeking, foul stench rose up from everywhere in the pirate galley, almost... _almost taking the attention from everything else wrong with the picture. ...Kagome felt a knot of nausea tie in her stomach as she looked at the mess, reminded of the unhappy memory. A pile of stinking dishes with rotting food was mounded in a corner. Years of grease was caked over and around a cluttered stove. Crates and cartons of who-knows-what, some spilling and some with rotted wood littered the floor, making for an obstacle course to the other side._

And here, Kagome stood. Queen of her new territory.

_...They didn't need a new cook_, Kagome thought, trying to get over the slightly worse déjà vu'..._They needed an **army**._

Kagome took a few steps back to the galley door. She let her head out. ...Partially for a break from the putrid air.... and partially for some...  any... help. 

A pirate was making his way down the passage. ...A wolf youkai, to Kagome's observance. He had white spikes for hair and wore a rather clueless look. Barely had he passed the galley door when he felt something rough grab and hold his arm.

"Agghhh!!" A yelp in surprise and fright erupted from the pirate as he nearly jumped out of his skin. Kagome pushed open the door and made herself known. "Hey, hey... wait... relax! It's just me... the... the cook!" The pirate looked at her, then turned to grasp his pounding chest. 

"I'm sorry I scared you..." Kagome said sheepishly.... "But I kinda need a favor..."

He blinked at her some, then calmed down and breathed. "I... I thought you were the captain... You... scared the crap outta me..." 

Kagome gave him an apologetic smile, and let go of his arm. Well, as if THAT move wasn't bold enough... she thought. And on her first day free! ...But, Kagome reminded herself that she was now a part of the crew. ...She wasn't going to let these pirates intimidate her.  Besides... she repeated for the tenth time in her mind. They weren't supposed to harm her. ....At least... not If they wanted to eat. Or from what Myouga told her, stay in the captain's good graces. 

...Whoever he was.

"Um, do you think you have some.... um... cleaner on the ship? ...Anywhere? Like the lemon kind?" 

The pirate's wide eyes looked up and he scratched his head in thought. "Hmm.... Well, I think we might... but... I don't think anybody's ever used it..." 

...Kagome snorted internally. 

"...What do you need it for?"

She turned to the side and swung the galley door wide open. "...This."

...The wolfy pirates wide eyes got even wider as the breeze from the door motion delivered a hair-curling stench to his nose. He clamped his hand to his nose and mouth, trying hard not to lose it.  Kagome caught the door as it returned.

"...I'llgetchasomerightaway!" The pirate turned heel from the kitchen door and ran.

Kagome walked back into the foul room. "There has to be a broom here, or something I can use..." Stepping lightly over the cartons and trying to avoid a line of ants, she slowly made her way to the back of the room. ...To her right there seemed to be a room of stores. The door to it was partially open, and there was... a noise inside. ..A rustling.

Kagome crept up to the door slowly, opening the crack just a little further to that she could look inside. 

....There was... a woman in there. ...Standing on a ladder and reaching for the high shelf. Though... Kagome could hardly tell through the baggy, dirty clothes. But though her back was turned, Kagome could see a cascade of long, dark hair from a tied-up ponytail down her back. ...Was this... the '_she' Myouga-ji had just mentioned...?_

Before Kagome could open the door all the way, the woman suddenly lost her footing. She fell to the storeroom floor with a yelp and a thud, the ladder following suit and collapsing after. ...A basket landed on her head, pummeling her with some rotten peaches. _Gods_! Kagome, thought.... _That must've hurt!_

 She wasted no time in running over to give her assistance.  "...Are you alright...?" Kagome helped her sit up, basket still on her head. 

"Ow.... my head...." The voice beneath didn't sound very thrilled, and a bit tired.  Two dirty hands reached up and removed the wicker obstruction. 

...Kagome was at once struck with familiarity. She'd seen this person somewhere before, right?

Sango rubbed her head. "...Thank you..." She looked at Kagome for a few seconds. ...Another woman?  ...On the ship? ...She... looked familiar.

"Are you alright...?" Kagome asked again and helped her up to her feet.  "...That was... one pretty nasty fall." Sango dusted off her already soiled clothes. 

...She had gotten them from the monk pirate... having no others and not wanting to ruin her taijiiya outfit. She looked down at the floor covered in fruit.  "...Yes, I'm fine. ...but I feel sorrier for the peaches..."

Kagome felt a small smile on her face. Her first, it seemed, in awhile. ...Now she was sure this wasn't just a female pirate. "yes, but.... I doubt they felt it. ...I'm Kagome. ...You must be the other cook they tossed in here."

Sango looked confusedly at the raven-haired girl in the green sailor suit. "I am... how did you know...? ...No, wait..." Sango thought for a second. Pirates don't usually have women with them... And during the raid, she wasn't among the crew. ...This girl... there's only one place she could have come from.

"...Are you, by any chance... from _The Survivor..._?" Kagome's eyes widened a bit with surprise. "Yeah..." she returned the studying look. "...Then... that means you are too, aren't you?" It was Kagome's turn to pause. Suddenly, her memory returned.

"...You... took my ticket on board! Your name is... is... 'Sngo', right?"

Sngo gave a bigger smile. "Well... Close enough. ...I'm Sango... But my ticket-taking job aboard the ship was short-lived." She looked Kagome over for a few seconds.  "Hmm... Yes, I remember you, now. ... You had a little boy with you at the dock... right?"

Kagome felt a pang of pain on her chest. ...That moment... it seemed so far away now. She looked at the other woman, whose eyes were now looking into space, faraway and wistful. 

She gave a nod. "Un... That was my little brother, Souta. He was there to see me off... Pretty unusual of him... for being my nemesis, as well as my brother..."

"...He reminded me of my brother..." She looked up. Sango's gaze hadn't shifted from space. Kagome queried, "Oh? ...You have a little brother too...?"

"Yeah..." Sango nodded slowly. "...His name is Kohaku... He must be around your brother's age now..." 

There was an almost unnoticable tinge of sadness in her voice. ...A hidden, faraway longing behind her words. ...Kagome suddenly felt compelled to not ask further questions. ...Evidently this was not her new kitchen-mate's happiest topic. Kagome nodded and looked away.

Suddenly, Sango broke into a soft smile and changed the subject. "In any case... I'm glad you're here, now.... Perhaps I can actually accomplish something with another set of hands."

Kagome looked back to the kitchen of terror. "...It's a jungle out there... I'm not sure it's safe." 

"Here..." an object suddenly weighted Kagome's hands. She turned to see that Sango had placed a broom in it. She herself bent over to pick up a bucket and rag.  

"...Shall we begin..?" The taijiiya looked at Kagome. "I think... that this is going to take awhile..."

Sango's grateful expression lifted Kagome's heart some. _...I think I thought wrong.... The thought passed her mind as Sango headed back outside_. This situation isn't going to be as hopeless as I thought... _Kagome took a step into the kitchen. No sooner had she, than she felt her foot sink. ___

_....Aghh! Gross! ..._Just the sensation was disgusting enough. _...Don't look down...  Don't look down..._

Kagome looked down. ...She'd just disturbed SOMETHING that looked like it might have once been alive. Something... with a long, skinny tail...

"Oh, EWWWW!!"

~*~

...

Hours had passed. ....Hours, upon hours... upon hours...

Kagome slowly looked up to see the sky turning orange from outside the small window. She slumped against the wall.

"Sango-chan...?" She croaked tiredly.

"Yeah...?" The other woman looked up achingly from HER position on the shiny floor.

"Was... that the last of them...?"

Sango sighed. "...Dear gods... I hope so..."

"...All the final dishes washed...?"

"...Check."

"...All of the new stores put away...?"

"...Check."

"All of the..." Kagome shuddered. "...rat traps put up...?"

Sango stared into the sky for a moment, then reached into her pocket and pulled out the last of the wooden rodent death squares. She leaned over and set it up in a niche underneath the stove. 

"....And.... check."

Kagome let out a deep sigh. ....Her head was aching. ..If it wasn't first from the smell of rot and garbage, the hours of intense smell from the lemon cleaner left to soak on the floor had made her dizzy. ....How she longed for fresh air. ...But... she was just too tired to even bend to rest on her knees..

"Kagome-chan...?"

She forced her head over to respond to her friend. "...Ehh...?"

...Sango gave a tired smile. "I think... that's it for us today... But..." She tried lifting her arm, to no avail. "...Can you move...?"

The girl with the now soiled green skirt shook her head. "...Not an inch."

"...That makes two of us then." The taijiiya moaned.

The following second, two things happened simultaneously.  One was a sudden, loud *ding* going off in the oven. ...The second was the galley door swinging open with a loud _whoosh then banging into the wall next to it. ...Both women jumped out of their skin, and onto their feet._

Sango turned to the door, while Kagome rushed to the oven. The taijiiya's eyes widened at the visitor. ...The surprise was short-lived, however and replaced with a groan. 

...It was just the stupid houshi...

From the doorway, Miroku stood frozen in awe and bliss. Had there EVER been so much SHINE in one room?? ...His attention for once, was taken away from the two creatures with long legs in the room and he took a look around.

...No longer was the stench of rot infiltrated into every pore of the wooden floor. ...No longer was there a mound of dishes in the corner left to rival Mt. Fuji. ...No longer was the stove... Wait... WAS that the stove...?

Pots hung neatly from the ceiling from hooks, gleaming with new life. A stack of clean platters and glasses were organized perfectly in a clear cabinet. ....A warm fire burned in the hearth. ...The stove, once caked in grease and dirt, had been scoured an almost blinding silver. There was not one speck of dust, dirt, or grime visible ANYWHERE to Miroku's blue eye, and the fresh scent of lemons rose from the room.

Kagome had pulled a large cooking tray of full of steaming and freshly made donuts from the oven and set it on the countertop. She wiped her hands clean, then turning to look at the intruder. 

Her eyes narrowed with brief puzzlement. ...Was that... a _monk?_

Miroku moved only when Sango's sharp voice reached his ear. 

"Houshi! ...I said, what do you want?!"

Miroku cleared his throat, smiling sheepishly and giving Sango a grin. "Forgive my intrusion, fair lady... I was just seeking to speak with you..." Sango crossed her arms over her chest. What else was new? "...Then speak, monk."

Miroku looked pained. "...My dear Sango-sama... how often must I tell you to call me 'Miroku'...?" The taijiiya hmmph'ed.

He stepped into the room, breathing deeply. ...This was the first time even a section of the ship had smelled that good. ...It was so vastly different from the odor of sweat and well... men... that he just couldn't get enough of it. And now... there was the sweet, moist smell of pastries in the air. Had he gone to heaven...? Miroku turned toward the scent.  ...Oh my. ...His eyes caught a glimpse of something better than candy. ...Those were bare legs... and a rather... short skirt... The monk's gaze drifted up towards the second female presence he had ever encountered on the ship. ...A girl stared at him with wide, brown eyes.

Kagome had only a second to breathe before she found herself face to face with the blue-eyes of the monk and hand in hand to boot. A huge sweatdrop appeared on her forehead.

"Fair tannyou...." The monk breathed, "...I must confess... The scent of your cooking is rivaled only by your beauty..."

"Um..." Kagome stumbled to find words. The monk's eyes bore deeply into her, and his expression was serious. ...Behind her, a vein popped out on Sango's forehead.  

"Will you please..." The monk bent on knee. ..."Do me the honor.... will you bear my-"

...A pot sailed through the air and clanged Miroku smack on the side of the head. Kagome stepped back with a gasp. ...He fell to the floor, twitching.  

Kagome looked behind her, wide eyed. 

"...Was he... was he about to _propose to me_?" she stammered. ...Sango walked over and picked up the pot, placing it neatly back on the hook. "...Worse... I think it's best you not know."

"...I'll take your word for it..."

Miroku stopped twitching long enough to reach up and rub his head. He sat up, giving Sango a pitiful look. "...You break my heart, Sango-sama...."

"...I'll promise to break more than that if you ever pull that one again." ...The monk groaned in pain.  

"...Now, what the hell do you WANT?"

Miroku stood and dusted off this robes. ...Not that there was anything to dust. He arranged a rosary of beads on his right arm and bowed down to Sango. 

"I have come... to deliver the news that your furry companion has awakened. ...And seems to be rather lost without you."

Sango's frown changed to a sudden expression of happiness and relief. "She... she has? ....Kirara...?"

Kagome glanced over. "...Kirara..?"  ...Wasn't that the two-tailed...? ...No wait... the world wasn't _that small..._

"Please, would it be alright if I saw her now?" Sango asked. ...The monk bowed again. "....I shall take you to her immediately... As you wish, Sango."

Sango went for the door with a renewed energy. She stopped suddenly, remembering the other cook. "...Forgive me, Kagome-chan... I'll be right back to help you finish up." With a wave she disappeared out the door. Miroku backed out slowly, giving Kagome one final bow, and a solemn declaration. "...I shall return to taste your hard-made delicacies, Lady Kagome. ...It is a great pleasure to have met you..."

"Um.... yeah... sure." she nodded until the monk was up out and gone from the kitchen. ...The door swung back and forth, and Kagome looked around to realize that she was alone.  ...She sighed and walked back over to the hot donuts on the tray, picking them up and putting them in a small bag. ....They were going to be the first thing she'd eat all day.

...The dull ache in her head had just begun to throb. 

_This lemon smell is really getting to me... I think... some fresh air would really do me some good..._ Kagome reached up and rubbed her temple absently. ...She happened to look down at her green skirt, as well. ...A garment now covered in stains and dirt_. ...Yikes... And this is the only outfit I have, too... _

She let out another sigh, picking the hot bag up tiredly. ..._Sorry, Sango... I don't think I'll be here when you get back. She picked up her now-dried shoes from beside the hearth and headed to the galley door. _

_...Now, which way was the main deck again..?_

~*~

Finally. ...Peace and quiet. ...Inuyasha was stretched out against a bench on the quietest part of the stern. ...Dark had just set in and all of the pirates were below decks, just where he had sent them. ...If there was anything that could clear his head now, a mob of surly, dimwitted pirates was not it.

A loud growl sounded from his stomach. He punched it lightly with his fist. "...Shut up!" ...A star above shot overhead. 

_...Damn that bounty hunter..._ He thought. _...Keh. ...and, while I'm at it, damn my drunken mercy... Inuyasha berated himself. If only he hadn't been so desperate for a quick meal... If only he hadn't allowed Miroku to set this "Sango' up in the kitchen with the promise of good ramen, and sent her little pet to Myouga's... Maybe..._

Inuyasha purposely ignored the fact that had he tossed the taijiiya in the water, they'd all be starving. ...Well... Starving _more_. ...Who'd have thought that a WOMAN wouldn't even be able to make cereal?  

Another thought struck the hanyou. ...None of the OTHER crewmates seemed to have been complaining... Were they..? ...What if she was just doing it to...?

His stomach gave a second violent churn. Inuyasha gave it another punch. ...Not that that helped.

"Man..." he sighed. "I'm fucking hungry." ...When was that other girl going to wake up?

A pair of feet stumbled nearby and made Inuyasha's ear twitch. The sea breeze carried a familiar smell... along with one that made his mouth water. _...Who the heck...?_

...How had the sky darkened so fast...? She couldn't even see the moon, with the cloud cover. Kagome stood at the stern, staring off into the distant stars, her bag of donuts in hand. ...Well... it was quiet, at least... A good place to eat her breakfast/lunch/ and dinner, without threat of disturbance from the other savages.

Inuyasha turned his head. _...I thought I told those idiots to all go downstairs..._ He grumbled internally. This one is looking to get a beating.  ...Inuyasha didn't waste time in yelling out. 

"...Hey, YOU! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Kagome, startled at hearing the rough voice, turned around quickly, squinting her eyes. ...That rough, crude voice. It sounded familiar. ...She saw a pair of feet, connected to red-clothed legs sticking out from the shadows. 

"...Who's... who's there?"

Inuyasha's eye's widened at the voice. ...A chick?! ...Then, wait... that could only be...

The moon chose that time to peek out from beneath the clouds. It illuminated the deck with a soft glow, and Kagome finally saw the pair of shining yellow eyes staring at her figure. Wait a minute... this was....

"...It's _you!" _

Both voices said it together. Inuyasha blinked. ...Speak of the devil.

~*~

AN: *evil snicker* Cliffie... cliffie... cliffie.... This chapter was fun to write. ...It was the only one so far where Kagome wasn't assaulted in any way, shape or form. ....Unless... you count Miroku, really. ...Again, I'm sorry for the UN-speedy post, but unfortunately, school's starting in a few days again, and I'm not going to be able to be all Speedy Gonzolez about the updates... Don't worry, though...^^ I'm not going to keep you guys hanging for two weeks at a time, or anything. 

Psst.... Don't forget to review. :P


	7. Of Donuts and Men

AN: School's started and time could not pass by any more quickly. ...With AP art and Bio taking up most of my time, I haven't had the mind-power or time to write sooner. ..But... It's been less than a week, ne..? I promise you... Unless otherwise stated, I'll never leave you hanging for more than a week. ...Solemn oath, cross my heart and hope to die and all of that other great stuff.

Thank you again to my wonderful reviewers!

Jurei-chan: The review was appreciated, Late or not! ...I took a vacation too. all the way up to North Florida... It was disastrous, to say the least, and it was a weekend I'd rather have spent glued to my computer. 

CraziAznGurl: *hands you a Jacksonville Slugger* ...This should work better. O:D

golden-lover90: A friend of mine told me the kitchen scene reminded her of an episode of Fruits Basket...^^ I haven't seen the anime, but maybe you have and know what she'd talking about... Thanks a bunch. ...And Jack Sparrow is a god. *licks him*

Ace of Spades1: Yep... read on and indulge.^^

Crystal Sapphire: WHOA! THANKIES!

Acacia Jules: Dude... Whoever said I was a Kouga hater? ...I happen to think he's rather sexy.  And I plan for plenty of Hojo bashing to come. ..Not that he's a bad guy, of course... just such a good victim.^^

Dun Dun DUUUNNN.... In the last chapter...

Kagome and Inuyasha met.... briefly... Will this fic ever turn romantic and fluffy? ...Yes, In due time... But characters have to grow, don't they? Miroku also finds that Sango isn't an easy catch... In the eyes of the tart taijiiya... is there any shot of a chance for him at all? ...Here's chapter 7.

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 7**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Kagome's breath caught briefly in her throat at the initial surprise. The fierce yellow eyes bore into her, scrutinizing.  

...Hey... Wasn't this.... the very same white-haired, dog eared boy the last she'd seen....? ...Speaking, of course, before the week-long coma.

...Inuyasha blinked one or twice.  ...It smelled like her, Manten's wench, of course... ...It sounded like her... the exclamation she'd just made was loud and annoying... ...Inuyasha, however, gave her an unintentional at her change. Her deep brown eyes stared back, wide and unblinking. The wind on the deck blew her hair sidelong framing a pale, unmarred face, much unlike the week before. ...She really was.... quite... pre-

Instinctively and unknowingly, the hanyou caught his thoughts and replaced them with a brusque expression. ...Familiar. Quite... familiar.

Kagome looked away from the pirate, covering herself with a casual, nonchalant air. ...but a shiver still ran down her spine...  That was a mutual stare they just shared, and it seemed to hang in the air. 

She turned partially in his direction and shrugged apathetically.  "...No reason, really... I came up here to eat my dinner." ...Kagome's voice oozed calm. 

_...Remember, Kagome..._She repeated to herself. _You're a part of this crew now. ...Don't you dare let them think you're weaker than them... _

The hot paper bagful of donuts was grasped in both of her hands, and she walked over to the railing, five feet away from Inuyasha. She leaned on it casually (almost too casually), and pretended to look out onto the ocean. "...The air is so much cleaner out here, you know." She said lightly.

The hanyou, however, mistook the strange girl's apathy for arrogance, already leaving Inuyasha with an irritated expression. ...How _aggravatingly cool of her! _

...The overwhelming urge to bark something superior and well, captain-like welled up within him. Inuyasha grit his teeth and growled a bit at the 'daydreaming' girl... She turned around and gave him a glance.

"Was that your... stomach that just growled? Or was that you...?"

...Inuyasha stopped growling and stood blankly. Reminded of his hunger, half of him wanted to sulk in a corner and rub his gut.... The other half of him wanted to... well... He stared back at the girl with angry thoughts.

...However, he couldn't deny that a claw of unexpected interest in this girl tugged in his mind.  ..._Let's think...He found his thoughts telling him...__ She fought off Manten, sassed me, took in an almost certainly fatal dose of poison, and is still fucking kicking...  Inuyasha clenched his fists. ...However much of a pain she was... the girl DID have spirit. _

...Too bad he hated spirit. 

Kagome gave a deep, tired sigh from her post against the rail. ...The hanyou chose to give her his patented Inuyasha Scowl™. ...He also chose to ignore her previous question. 

"...So, Is the dinner you're referring to _supposed_ to smell like parrot shit?" He stood and turned away from her, dusting off his haori. "...You probably think you're the iron chef, the stench is making me want to hurl."

Kagome's ego had been braced with her pep-talk on self-reassurance, so the hanyou's insult didn't go very far. 

"...I actually think the iron chef sucks." She said, Her expression was sour, and clearly said, 'nobody-asked-you.'

She reached into the bag and pulled out a steaming donut. ...These really had come out perfect... She needed to thank Sango for the kneading, later... Five feet over, Inuyasha's nose twitched. ...Kagome bit into the donut wordlessly. ...Oh man... It was about as good as it looked. 

"Mmmm..." She moaned. "...Well... my cooking may not be excellent... but..."  She looked over to see his motionless back and blowing white hair. "....If your nose is as good as you seem to think it is... You'd also smell the fact that I'm the only cook around here. And... If you insist on being so picky, you can just feed yourself." Kagome's voice was light and airy... a perfect vocal imitation of a snobby classmate she'd once had at finishing school by the name of Kikyou. 

Inuyasha turned coldly, growling. ...Why did the way she said that rattle him so? It was just sarcasm. That, and he couldn't shake the feeling that everything about this girl was a heaping dose of déjà vu'. 

"...Look here, priss bitch." He took a step forward and snarled." ...*This* here is my ship, and this is MY deck. You're THISCLOSE to becoming chum so piss me off and you'll.... you'll... bitch... listen!"

Kagome pretended to be in another world. Well, halfway, really. ...It's not as if this pirate was dangerous anyway. She absently reached into the bag, grabbing another soft donut and biting it blissfully and staring into the dark sky, while the pirate glowed behind her. 

_...Make them think you don't care. _She told herself again... But this dog-eared pirate was such a whiner. Kagome sighed... she was tired from a day's worth of chores, and wasn't in the mood to fight. Besides..._ ...I may want respect, but fighting isn't going to solve anything..._

...Inuyasha was, to say the least, pissed... No. confused. ...Or maybe a belittling mixture of both. ...It was very alien, Inuyasha for once not having anything to threaten with. ...It was like all of his ferocity was wasted on this one girl... She... just wouldn't respond! ...She certainly hadn't been the first love slave Manten had kidnapped, and as was the trend, one snarl from the captain had sent the other delicate birds screaming or into a swoon.

...What the hell was WRONG with this bitch? ...Didn't prisoners know their place...?!  She continued to ignore him for a few more minutes, and with the silence Inuyasha visually imagined the once relieving and gratifying thought of tossing her off the side of the boat... 

...Somehow, however... he found that this time around that thought wasn't satisfying.

 ...Kagome said nothing... She stared wordlessly at the night sky, filled with thousands and thousands of stars. Unbeknownst to him, Kagome had simply wandered off in thought.

...When had they ever been so brilliant..? ...It happens out here on the ocean... with no light around for miles... While though in Tokyo, the stars were vibrant, they had never seemed so alive... Momentarily numbed by the stark difference, Kagome lost her train of thought, and felt herself become somewhat more relaxed. ...After all... she had nothing to be afraid of, right? She gave a small yawn...

"Hey, tell me something..." She said detachedly, almost as if talking to herself. 

Inuyasha was silent. His stare at her was intense. ...What words could he possibly expect from this weird girl next?

The wind blew cold and Kagome drew her arms into her chest. "...Do you think... if you lived a hundred... maybe a thousand years... do you think you could ever see these same exact stars from this same exact place... and feel exactly as humbled as you might right now...?" She shivered from the cold. _ ...What is wrong with me...?_

His eyes widened a bit, and the hanyou was glad the girl could not see the surprise on his face. ...In that moment, staring into the sky, with the wind carelessly playing with her... she seemed so... different.

 The sudden overwhelming feeling to pick a fight was waning within him. He was still angry. ..Although it was now at the fact that she had somehow subdued him, and he couldn't think of anything to say. 

Inuyasha, thus, said the next most natural thing in his vocabulary. He gave a scoffing 'keh' and looked away from her. "...What the _hell kind of question is that?"_

Her mind drifted back when she heard the pirate's harsh response. She sighed internally. ...Maybe it was the fact that she was worn from the duties of the kitchen, but Kagome normal temper towards this rude and uncouth deck-swabber didn't feel like flaring. She turned to look at him, though he was staring at her with an odd, almost childish ferocity.

"...You don't look much like a pirate." She said musingly.

"...Keh! And you don't look much like a woman."

Her hands went on her hips. "...You don't have to be such a jerk. ...What is _up your ass?"_

"...The same thing in your bag." All this was said, then he turned his back. His face was petulant.

But, she couldn't help but prod him. ...The way his yellow eyes flashed when he retorted was almost childlike. ...She hated to admit it, but it was kind of cute. She took a step towards him, holding the bag firmly. The wind was still playing with her hair and skirt. 

"...Why _did you become a pirate...?" She asked purely for the sake of curiosity... and maybe a little conversation. ...There was something about this boy that interested her, though she hated to admit it. ...Maybe it was the ears.... or his deep amber eyes... or his long, silky white hair... Why was he so hostile..?_

Inuyasha grumbled to himself. _...Of all the girls on that fucking ship...Manten chose the irritating one to come here and survive._

...Inuyasha's stomach growled absently...  

He finally turned to face her and crossed his arms. "What makes you think I'll tell you my life story, wench...? If you don't get out of my face and the hell below decks in five seconds, I'll..." The words were threatening enough, but she didn't seem fazed. "Why are you looking at me like that?!" 

Kagome didn't blink once. "...I happen to like your ears."

Inuyasha didn't feel the almost invisible flush of red on his cheeks. He leaned forward and spat, eyes narrow, "Well, hurry up and take a fucking picture."

Kagome looked at him and was silent again. It might have been her imagination, but there was a more to his voice than sarcasm. Her eyes flickered over his fierce features to his ears and back again. _...He's a hanyou... isn't he..?_

She remembered the time they'd met... well.... more like swatted at each other not a week before. He was the first she'd encounter after her escape from the giant hormone, Manten. ...She'd yelled at him, he'd yelled back, she'd thrown a rock at him...

Her gaze wasn't breaking and Inuyasha felt more and more compelled to look away, but he couldn't. I mean... keh! To do so would mean to acknowledge that he was intimidated. ...Which he most certainly was _not_.  

His nose twitched, and the smell of the bag in her hand made hunger ache in his gut more and more. ...Kagome blinked as he looked. ....her eyes widened and her mouth opened a bit, making an astounded revelation. "...It was you... wasn't it?" 

 "...That all depends," he said, crossing his arms. "...Just what the hell are you talking about?" He chose this moment to break the gaze..

She'd thrown a rock at him... she'd missed... he'd advanced... she... had gone black then. It made sense...didn't it? ...If the pain was killing her from the poison _then, she couldn't have had much time at that point to begin with. _

...Myouga-ji said a pirate had brought her in in the nick of time, saving her life. ...The hallway was dark and abandoned, the rest of the crew was probably partying from the loot, and... Manten wouldn't have done it... So does that mean... ?

Kagome stiffened slightly, unsure of what to feel... "You were the one who brought me in to Myouga's, weren't you...? I... remember now..."

Inuyasha's was silent. 

...That's right... he'd saved her life. ...What did that make him...? ...A hero? The very thought made him snort. He turned back to the ocean and Kagome heard his voice apathetic and emotionless.

"....Maybe."

She wondered why this moment was the first time since she awoke that she'd thought about it... Kagome had been up for nearly an entire day, and not once during her hours in the kitchen did she wonder about how she came to be in Myouga's clinic. She stole another look at Inuyasha, who now refused to look her way.  Whatever had possessed him to save her, she didn't know.

Kagome stood motionlessly on the deck. ...What was she supposed to say? ...A 'thank you' seemed so cheap, but it wasn't as if she could have said anything else... It seemed that he would just laugh or call her stupid for even bothering... Didn't it? 

Inuyasha's stomach at that point, growled loudly. 

His face hardened and he hoped she hadn't heard.

But of course, she did.

The pirate punched his stomach, but only succeeded in making it groan a third time. "Fucking shit..." he cursed.

_...That's it.... _Kagome's grasp on the bag of donuts tightened, and she walked over to Inuyasha. 

The hanyou was surprised to find that when he looked up, the girl was barely a foot away from him. ...Her eyes from up close were all the more intense. ...He jumped back instinctively. Kagome gave him a somewhat wry look. "...I wasn't going to bite you..."

"How the hell do I know that?" ...Inuyasha tried not to feel stupid as he cursed his jumpiness.

Kagome looked down to the deck as she tried to find words that wouldn't sound childish. "...Um... I don't quite know what to say..."

...Inuyasha already could sense what was coming next. "...Then please... don't bother." 

She looked up, ignoring what he said. "You saved my life. ...And whether you care now or not, I still wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you..."

He cut her off. "Do me a favor...  Save it. I don't need to be thanked by anyone."  The hanyou said, turning back to the waves_.  And... why would she want to anyways...? It's because of me that she was in this situation in the first place. This girl is an idiot..._

  "Here, then..."

Inuyasha felt her come close again and place something in his hand. He looked down to see the bag of donuts, and her... standing next to him also watching the water.

"If I can't thank you in words, at least let me quiet your hunger."

Inuyasha was stunned.... unused to this level of kindness and gratitude. What could he do but instinctively reject? He shoved the bag back into her hands.

"...I don't want your shitty donuts..." 

The combination of fresh baked goods and his starvation nearly made him pass out, and the sight of the bag back in her hands made him beat himself over the head with an imaginary stick. _...What are you, Inuyasha... on CRACK?_ _ARE YOU ON FUCKING CRACK?! _

Kagome held the bulging bag and stared at him, feeling just a little bit peeved with his stubbornness.  She turned, leaning over and grabbed Inuyasha by the collar, much to his surprise.

Her voice growled angrily. "Look here, you ass... On my way to who knows where, I was kidnapped by your goddamn mountain of a crewmate. I was punched, beaten, and nearly violated. I was poisoned, and would have DIED if YOU hadn't decided to be a hero. ...I'm NOT going to say this again and I'm JUST as weirded out as you are..." She grabbed his hands and placed them around the bag, and took a step back.

Her voice became a shade softer. "So... just let me feel like I've paid you back, okay...? I'd really hate the guilt." 

Inuyasha looked at her. Standing on the deck behind him with a slightly pink face. 

...His hand tingled where it had touched hers. But... what the hell was wrong with him? ...Dammit... He looked down, and the fresh sweet smell was oozing from the bag. Well... maybe just a little- NO! He sat down on the ground against the rail.

His ears twitched, Kagome observed. She was struggling then, to keep the amusement off of her face. ...He was looking down at the bag, unsure of what to do. ...There was even a bead of sweat on his forehead from the agony.

Inuyasha grasped the bag from both sides, trying to fight between his mind and his gut. From the corner of his eye, he saw her coming over and bent down next to him. 

"...Look," she said. "I don't see why you're being so anal about accepting my gratitude... I mean... _know_ you're starving! ...Sango can't cook!" A friendly smile appeared on her face. "...that and your gut sounds like a bullfrog..."

"That's not it!" Inuyasha spat. The girl was trying so hard to be kind... and it was hard for him to swallow... 

"Then what, you're allergic to donuts? Come _on_!" Kagome sat back against the ship wall across Inuyasha and rolled her eyes. "...I know this is a pride thing! ...I have a little brother back home, you know. He pulls this one whenever we have a fight and I try to sucker him into apologizing. What is it with you men and your machismo?"

Inuyasha gave her studying another look. This girl sure as hell wasn't ordinary. Another small smile appeared on her face. "...Go on. I think they're pretty good."

He looked at the bag, then at the girl. ...Then, bag at the bag.

Inuyasha broke. Unable to longer control himself, a weeks worth of hunger exploded, along with the brown paper, as tore into it and practically inhaled the donuts. "Mm...  goo- oh! Hot! Hot!" Donut after donut disappeared as Kagome watched with amusement in her eyes. ...This pirate... the deck-swabber... he kind of reminded her of Souta... only in an older, less refined form, of course.

 She felt it appropriate then to introduce herself. "Um... I'm Kagome, by the way." 

She glanced at the pastries... They were meeting their end as Inuyasha's hands dove in and out of the bag, executing them one by one. His face was stuffed full of the pastry.

"...Oh, gross..." She put on a disgusted face at his barbarianism. "If you don't slow down, those are going to the wrong way!"

"Uh huh..." The hanyou choked on a donut-half and grasped at his neck, oblivious to its baker, sitting across from him. ...These things were hard to inhale. 

The raven-haired girl again subdued a laugh. She wrapped her arms around her chest to shelter her from the cold wind. "So... Do you plan to tell me yours?"

Inuyasha looked up. A steaming chunk was in his mouth. "My what...?" __

"Your name, stupid."

"...What the hell does it matter?" His voice was garbled from the full mouth.

"Well what would you rather I call you? ...Donuts?" Her voice was light and mocking.

 Inuyasha was revolted. "Fine... fine..." He growled and swallowed. _...The hell she will._

"....It's... Inu-" 

The hanyou grasped his neck. The same piece of the tasty dessert was stuck in his throat. He tried frantically to swallow.

"Inu..." he coughed.

The wind blew warm this time. ... Kagome suddenly felt drowsy again... Her body weighed heavily against the wood. She nodded and closed her eyes. "...Inu, huh...? ...That's cute..." She trailed off with his name... He did look rather doggish, after all... 

Inuyasha swallowed and gave another cough. "No, it's...-" 

He stopped... Kagome had her eyes closed, and didn't look like she was listening. Inuyasha saw her inhale deeply...

'...Did she... fall _asleep_...?' he thought, blinking ...The torn paper bag was now empty.

He stood and walked over to her, casting a shadow in the moonlight. Her head was leaned over her shoulder, with her hair falling over her face.  ....Yep... she was definitely asleep.

The hanyou was no longer sure of what to think... The girl blissfully dreaming below him was a prisoner... yet she was bold and unafraid of him. ...Why did she try to thank him...? Why did she laugh, why did she smile...? Put up with those good ten minutes of his bullshit?

And, he thought as he bent down and picked her up. Why did he feel like he knew her...?

Her scent was brought again to his nose by a breeze. ...This... Kagome smelled... sweet. ...Like vanilla. ...With a hint of lemon.

She was still a royal pain in the ass though.

...No bag of donuts was going to butter him up....right?

...No... Not... at all.

~*~

"Kagome-chan....  are you awake...?"

Kagome squeezed her pillow tightly and only forced her eyelids open when the pushing became insistent. She turned over and opened them reluctantly, only to see Sango leaning over her with a sorrowful expression on her face. "Kagome-chan..."

"Well, apparently not any more, Sango..." Kagome grumbled, squinting and giving a big yawn. She rubbed her eyes. ...It seemed it was still dark outside. A candle burned on a night table next to her. "...What's up...?"

Sango sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry I left you all alone like that, Kagome-chan... when I came back, you were gone, and I started to worry...."

Kagome's eyes didn't blink.. "...Sango....was that... _all?" ...The taijiiya looked a little sheepish. "...Well, yeah..."_

"Because you were _worried_ about me?"

"Uh-huh..."

"Gods, Sango...." 

"...I know, I know... call it a big sister complex...."

"No, no! ...Thanks..." The raven haired girl 

The taijiiya looked up with a smile. "It's a nervous habit. ....I used to looking out for others... I have a brother, remember...?"

"...Perfectly forgiven, aneue."  Kagome grinned and sat up in bed. _That's weird...._ she thought, looking around._ ....I don't remember coming back down to my room. _If fact... wasn't she just on the deck...? With... that hanyou...'Inu'...? 

...A small_ fuzzy cat-like thing suddenly hopped up on Sango's lap with a mew._

"Oh yes... This is someone I'd like you to meet..." Sango patted Kirara affectionately on the head, and the neko began to purr...

"Hey... Kirara!" exclaimed Kagome. So this youkai-cat WAS the one. ...With light-stepped paws the cat walked up the bedding and nuzzled against Kagome, very happy indeed. Sango gave them both a look of surprise. "...Have you.... met?"

Kagome gave a giggle as the animal's cold nose touched and tickled her skin. "...We met back on The Survivor. ...Sango... I didn't know she was yours! ...It's a small world, afterall." Sango smiled and nodded. "Kirara and I have been partners for as long as I could remember... She was there when my brother and I were growing up..."

She scratched Kirara behind the ears... "That long...?" Kagome wondered out loud. "She doesn't look a day over two."

Sango nodded with a smile. "She and he used to wrestle for hours... in the _mud, mind you, only leaving ME with the mess afterward... She and he were pretty much as close as we are..." The taijiiya trailed off, looking away._

...The mood in the small room dropped in a matter of seconds.

...Looking at her friend's expression, Kagome suddenly felt the same sadness seeping into her. 

"...It hurts, doesn't it, Sango...?"

The long, dark-haired woman turned to her. ..She looked like she was trying very hard to avoid tears. "...More than you can ever know..."

"...Sango-chan..." Kagome leaned over and took her friends hand, looking into her eyes. 

"...Tell me... What happened to your little brother...?"

Kirara looked up at its owner with a piteous mew, coming over to nuzzle her again. Sango stroked her absently.

"Kohaku... that's his name..." she reached into the folds of her clothes and pulled out a small, silver locket.  

"...My little brother Kohaku, and our father went out one day... It was the start of the fishing season, and they made plans for a trip into the mountains where the streams would be the most abundant. ...A successful trip and we would have food for half the year..." She fidgeted with the clasp on the locket and forced it open...

Kagome nodded and Sango continued. "I had been gone for the day... I was in another village... they had had an infestation of grasshopper youkai, and they needed to me to exterminate before their crops were ruined." She looked at the picture in the open locket, then handed it to Kagome.

"When I returned, to my village, my father and brother still hadn't returned, so worried, I trekked into the mountains to look for them... Along the way I found my father..."

"Sango..." Kagome said softly. She looked at the picture carefully. ...A small boy with bright eyes and a nose dotted with freckles stared back at her.

"He was dead... or dying, rather... from what I could make out from his last words, they had been assaulted by men. ...Slave traders... Kohaku was nowhere to be found.... And the only name I could distinguish... was 'Naraku'."

"Naraku...?" Kagome questioned. "I've only heard of one man by that name... Lord Naraku... I think he's a noble in the Kagoshimaken prefecture... The owner of the Kagoshima Oil company... loaded beyond belief, you know..."

Sango's hand folded into a fist. "....I know. ...That's the one. And the only reason he's rich is because he doesn't have to pay any of his workers. ...It's all done with slave labor."

Kagome stifled a gasp. "...Then, wait... you don't mean that Kohaku is..."

"A slave? ...Exactly.  From what I'd heard, the traders sold them to him a week later... and by the time I'd tracked him down, it was too late. My father was dead, and my brother was property."

"But," Kagome's heart ached for her new friend, whose voice by this time, was soft, but angry. "Couldn't you do something..?! Stolen him...? Paid for him...? Killed Naraku...?" 

"Paid for him." Sango said. "...That was pretty much my only option. Kohaku had been registered as property, so if I had tried to take him, I would have been arrested, and Kohaku would just have gone right back into the arms of that man. ...The catch was... the price on Kohaku's head was about the same as the price on Captain Whiteclaw's. ...It was more than I could afford."

"...Captain... Whiteclaw?" Kagome's queried. "...It sounds familiar... but who is he...?" Yeah... she vaguely remembered seeing a wanted poster with that name...

Sango looked at her like she'd grown Kirara's head. "...Captain Whiteclaw... is the captain of this ship."

Kagome blinked, sleep still with a hold on her wits. "...Seriously? ...Wasn't it 'Inuyasha' or something...?"

"Same guy."

"Ahh..."

Sango nodded, and Kagome put it all together. "...So you became a bounty hunter and went after Whiteclaw... so you could then use the money and buy back your brother?"

Sango nodded again. "...That's pretty much it."

Kagome sighed, and the room's light flickered. ...The candle was burning low. "...So... why are you still here...?"

Sango adjusted herself on the bed, looking down and stroking her pet. "... Kirara and I had plans to escape... but she ended up attacking something she shouldn't have and got poisoned."

_Sounds familiar..._ Kagome said to herself with a bit of wry.

"She's awake, as you can see... and she'll recover, but... she still can't fly.  ...In exchange for her life and treatment... I sold myself to the captain... I'm offered to become his servant in exchange for her life."

Kagome admired the woman's loyalty... "But, you're stuck..."

A sigh escaped the taijiiya. "Yes..."

Kagome looked down in thought. "...Why... won't he let you go...?"

"Let me go...?" Sango's voice paused, then spoke again with muted anger. "...Kagome... my life doesn't matter to him... He is a pirate, as ruthless and uncaring as they come. ...He has killed countless people... raided countless villages and sunk countless ships, over and over again. ...The only reason he spared mine was because without me... He had no cook. He won't just 'let me go.'" 

Kagome's eyes narrowed along with her friend's, and she looked down. "...When Kirara gets well... When she can fly again... will you escape...?"

Sango was silent, then shook her head. "...Kagome-chan... if I leave... he will kill you... "

Kagome heard the words and felt an anger growing within her. ...Kill her...? This captain Whiteclaw... he was using her as blackmail? 

"...How cold... How despicable and cold..."

Sango slowly rose from the bed... She smiled softly. "...Please... don't worry too much about it, Kagome-chan... it's late, so just try to get some sleep."

Kagome leaned over and handed Sango back the small silver locket. 

"Yeah..."

Sango turned to head to her small bed... but something caught her foot and she stumbled.

"...Graceful much...?"  Kagome teased good-naturedly. Sango rolled her eyes and released her foot from the obstruction on the floor. ...She rose holding a large, yellow backpack. 

...Kagome nearly fell over.

"Um..." Sango turned it around to inspect it. "...Is... this yours...?" She set it down on the bed.

"Yeah...but...but how...?" 

Sango yawned.... she suddenly looked very tired and turned to her bed at the dark corner of the cabin. "We can always figure it out tomorrow, Kagome-chan... Come, Kirara." 

With a mew the cat hopped down from the bed and followed her to the bed. Sango crawled in, under the covers, and within a few silent minutes... both of them were curled up and seemed to be sleeping. ...The candlelight was even dimmer now... but Kagome could still see, and she had pulled the backpack toward her.

Everything was as she left it. ...There were clothes and snacks... and much to her relief... her entire purse full of yen... It was to be her dowry... 

_How...?_ She questioned... _This was back on the Survivor..._

Kagome reached in and felt her hand close around a book. ...Happily... her journal slid out. ...Perfect and unmarred. Kagome brought it and held it to her chest. _...Who did this....? Then again... she again, she thought. ....Why was she in this room in the first place..?_

_Inu_...

...Had it been him? Had it been the dog-eared pirate... Inu...? He had brought her to bed... and... however he did it... Must have also brought the backpack. ...It had to be him... Kagome looked around the room, which was small and bare, with only a few pieces of furniture and porthole. ...Her eyes fell to the night table, where there was a small white bottle and tin of water... and a note.

_...What's this...?_

Kagome scooted backwards on the bed and reached over, grabbing the small torn piece of parchment. 

The handwriting was messy and careless_. _On the table surface, she spotted a fallen strand of silver hair.

_...Once every two hours. _That's right... she had forgotten to pick up her medicine... That must have been why she had become so tired so quickly... She studied the note again.

It wasn't Myouga's handwriting.

Kagome sat in disbelief and curiosity. ...Did he really do this for her...? ...She'd done pretty much nothing but ignore and goad him on deck earlier. It was roughly ten minutes of hostility and a brief moment of kindness, and here she was, her belongings returned and she in bed. 

...She felt a smile grow on her face...  Her arm reached for the quill pen on the desk next to the candle, and Kagome opened her diary.

_'Dear Journal...'_ she scribbled_, and paused, looking up at the ceiling... _

There was a lot she had to say.__

~*~

Inuyasha walked into his cabin... It was the middle of the night, and he didn't much feel like being sociable. ...Thus is was an unfortunate thing that Miroku was already there. 

Inuyasha glared at his Second-In-Command, and plopped down on his bed. "...Don't you have a life...?"

"I live here too, captain."

Inuyasha pointed a clawed finger to the curtain in a corner of his cabin. "...You live in THERE. Go look at your hentai or something... I don't want to be bothered." ...The truth was... the captain wanted to be alone with his thoughts... as much as he hated it... there was somebody on his mind. That damn girl, Kagome. 

...She was so familiar... and... he just couldn't stop thinking about it...

 However, the monk's expression was grave, and he gave no hint of his usual cheerfulness. "Inuyasha... there's something I think you should know."

There was concern in the houshi's voice. The white-haired head turned. "What now? What's going on, Miroku?"

"Well, captain..." The monk leaned forward. "...Have you heard recently of Lord Kouga...?"

Inuyasha snorted. "...Yeah... that idiot wolf navy-school reject...?"

"Aye... That would be the one..."

Inuyasha crossed his legs on the bed and put his hands behind his head. "...He fell back on daddy's money, last I heard... and was engaged to some noble bitch. ...What the hell about him...?"

Miroku didn't blink, and looked at him directly in the eye.

"...Lord Kouga has acquired a treasure map..."... Inuyasha's ears rose.  "...To the legendary Shikon no Tama."

...The hanyou paused, then narrowed his eyes at the air. 

"...Has he now...?"

~*~

Happy Labor Day, everyone. ^^ Thanks to this wonderful holiday... I don't have to wake up for school tomorrow! ....I spent the better part of today working on this chapter and just re-read it... It is looooooooong! ...I kinda hope it makes up for my entire week of neglect.... well... does it...? does it...?

As a little bit of a side note, Kagome calls Sango 'aneue'... This is pretty much Japanese for 'big sister'. For those who aren't familiar with the language, it's pronounced 'ane-weh'

I'm going to celebrate Labor Day with vegetarian meatballs... and a lot of sleep... As always... review, please! It makes me so happy...^^


	8. Cookie Logic

AN: I must humbly beg for you forgiveness for the dull longevity of the previous chapter. As a sign of my guilt, have a fruitcake. *holds up a fruitcake, beaming with a Colgate smile* 

To clear up any confusion, this story is taking place in an alternate universe.... Therefore, pirates exist in the waters and social life is pretty much 19th century, but it's also modern... Like, slang... and SOME technology. Things that make the story convenient. For.. well... Me. :P 

Also, I have decided... Kikyou IS going to be making an appearance in this fic but... ow-hey! *ducks flying tomatoes and heads of lettuce* Let... let me finish!

*silence*

...Good. *ahem*. Like I said, Kikyou IS going to make an appearance... but she won't be popular. ...I'll even fit in a gruesome death in there somewhere.

...My fic hasn't really had too much action in it yet... or too much Kagome/Inu interaction... But there will be plenty of fluff to come.. I assure you. I just happen to be a big fan of thorough character development.... Meaning... No scenes that go:

Kagome: ...Inuyasha! I hate you! You and your hanyou kind disgust me to no end! ...You killed my grandpa, kicked my cat and tied my mother to the Goshinboku! ...Inuyasha, OSUWARI!

Inuyasha: *promptly falls to the floor* ...Bitch. You're ugly, your mom was annoying, the cat stole my ramen and it was your grandpa's time to go. ...By the way... I bought you a stick of gum. 

Kagome: ...Oh, Inuyasha, you're so thoughtful!

*Inuyasha and Kagome grab each other, kissing and rolling around on the floor*

Mou... As interesting as that would be, the fluff, when it comes, will be wonderful and concentrated. You all will be turned on. :D 

Chapter 8!

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 8**

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Kagome felt herself dozing as she gazed out the sunny window in the porthole. That cloud looked like an iiiitty-bitty penguin. ...And that other one looked like a cat's head. ...Like Buyo's head.

Sango bopped her friend over the head with a whisk, coating Kagome's hair with a layer of flour. "Hey!" 

"You were daydreaming again. ...And besides, I think I just took care of your dandruff problem.  Invisibility." she grinned and ducked behind a counter for she knew Kagome would make her pay.

The brown-eyed girl laughed, then smiled an evil smile and reached behind her, grabbing hold of what happened to be a vat of baking powder. "Hey, Sango..."

"What?" Came the voice from behind the counter.

"...Remember when you told me a few days ago that you'd lost your compact? ...The silver antiqued one with medium-fair liquid powder?"

"Maybe..." Sango said suspiciously.

She snuck around the counter and climbed on top of it soundlessly, holding the container in position. "...I forgot to tell you..."

She saw Sango crawl from behind the counter on all fours, looking around.

Kagome grinned and yelled. "I FOUND IT!"

Sango looked up with a surprised expression as her friend brought down a half-pound bucket of baking powder on her head. She sputtered, trying to get the bitter powder out of her nose and eyes. ...Kagome propped herself up with her elbows on top of the counter and snickered. "...Personally... I think that does wonders for your fair complexion."

Sango stood up, laughing. "Alright... alright... I forfeit." She grabbed a white cloth and wiped her face, before waving it into the air." Kagome sat up and on the edge of the counter. "You know, Sango... for a taijiiya, you sure didn't see that one coming..."

Sango had walked over to a trash barrel and tossed the cloth in. "...Well, you shouldn't have mentioned my precious compact. For a noble, you sure aren't very delicate."

"It'll turn up. Check underneath your mattress again when we get back." Kagome dusted off her hair and looked around the kitchen cluelessly. "...What were we doing again?" She tilted her head retardedly and made a stupid face.

Sango got the hint and laughed, looking up at the ceiling to think. "Hmm... _gee, I don't know... maybe, the only thing we _ever_ do?" her voice oozed sarcasm. She looked down at a recipe she held in her hand. "...It says here to add three tablespoons of lime extract..."_

Kagome hopped off the counter and walked toward her, thinking. "...Let's see then... three tablespoons of lime extract for four servings... times sixteen servings... That's..." She looked at Sango. "Wait. Do we even HAVE lime extract?"

Sango sighed. "...We'd better. ...It gives the crust a brighter flavor." Kagome looked over her friend's shoulder. "...'tsps.'... Sango, that's TEASPOONS."

"_Sorry! ...I'm still a novice to this cooking thing."_

"Yeah, and either which way, I don't think a shipful of pirates will carry around 'lime extract.' ...That's like the kind of stuff our cook would special order from the markets..." Kagome tapped her finger against her chin in thought.

Sango looked at her incredulously. "...You even had a cook?"

Kagome grinned. "And my own seamstress too... But I promise... It's not a fun life."

"Yeah, and I like hentai."

"...You like Miroku?!"

"Sarcasm. That was sarcasm..."

Kagome studied the recipe a bit more, then sighed, looking defeated. "...Alright... Bad news, I'm afraid. ...Not only do we not have lime extract... But..." She turned to Sango to give her a sheepish look.

"What...? What....?"

Kagome stared at the mixture in the bowl. "...It looks like we have no more baking powder, either." Sango groaned. "...You've got to be kidding me. But we already mixed the pie filling! What are we going to do now?"

Kagome was silent a few moments and spoke hesitantly. "...I think maybe... we could try a separate recipe for the crust... One without leavening... But," She looked around the large galley. "...I don't know of any recipe... and I don't see any other cookbooks..."

The galley door opened at that moment and in came the ship's smallest pirate. "...Kagome-chan! Sango-chan! Hi!"

Kagome was interrupted from her worry and managed a small wave. "...Morning, Shippou. If you want some leftover cookies, you can check the icebox, but they might be hard."

The little kitsune shook his head fervently. "Naah, I had enough last night. ...What'cha guys doing?" Sango flipped through the worn pages of the only cookbook they had, dismayed to find a page torn off. "...Well, we're trying to find out how to make a citrus pie with no crust..." She turned to Kagome. "...Kagome-chan... I think we're going to have to abandon."

Kagome looked horrified. "But we just used a week's worth of fruit! ...There's no way we can let all of that go to waste!" She took a seat next to Shippou, worriedly.

The mini-youkai looked from both girls and piped up. "...What's wrong, you guys? How can you make a pie with no crust? It doesn't sound very tasty... Unless you wanted to make it a pudding... or... something..."

Kagome sighed and looked down to the little kitsune. "...If we had another cookbook, we could try to make another type of crust, and it would turn out just as good... But hey, let's face it, pirates don't collect these things... What should we do, Sango?"

The taijiiya gave her a hopeless look. "Make... a pudding...?"

Shippou hopped down from the chair and headed over to the icebox. "We have more cookbooks..." he said lightly. He reached in with small hands and pulled out a few cookies. 

Both women looked at him in shock.

"Where?!" Came the unanimous plea.

Shippou made his way back to the stool and bit into a cookie. "...I think I might have seen some... The captain has a library in his quarters... I sneak in there all of the time to steal his mangas."

Kagome looked mystified. "...Captain Whiteclaw..."

"-has a library?" Sango finished.

The kitsune had stopped paying attention. "...You're right... These cookies are rocks..."

Kagome and Sango looked at each other, then back at Shippou. "Hey.... Shippou..." Kagome said smoothly. 

He looked up with big, wide curious eyes. Kagome handed poured some milk from a nearby pitcher and handed it to him. "...Can you do us a favor...?"

The kitsune read into it immediately he shoved the glass of milk away and shook his head fervently. "No. No way, no how! ...I've been caught in there one too many times... The next time it happens, he'll send my fuzzy ass to the stocks."

Kagome gave him an eyebrow. "...You're just a kid."

"So? ...The captain's a major ass. And I already piss him off enough already."

Kagome gave an exasperated sigh. She looked to Sango desperately. The taijiiya pretended to look away. "...Don't even think about it.... You know I hate that stupid Whiteclaw."

Shippou went for the glass, apparently reconsidering. ...He dipped a cold, hard cookie into it and looked into the air, pondering. "...You know, Kagome," he said thoughtfully, "if you run in and out again, I doubt you'll get caught. ...And, even if you do, he won't care because you're pretty."

Sango stared at the boy. "...What kind of logic is that?"

Shippou dipped his entire hand into the large glass and pulled out a sopping wet one. He bit into it, very satisfied with the improvement. He swallowed the mouthful with a swig of milk. "...Cookie logic, that's what."

Kagome looked over at the mixture on the counter, then at Sango who wore a worried expression. "...It'll just be an in and out thing... right? No worries." Kagome stood and patted down her skirt.

Sango looked wide-eyed. "No WAY, Kagome-chan. ...I'm not letting you break and enter into the captain's private quarters! Are you crazy?"

Kagome looked up in thought for a few moments. "...Well, from what I hear, I'm the best cook the ship's ever had..."

Blink, blink. "...Your point?"

She looked at her friend. "...Meaning, that if he wants some good eating, he'll go easy on me?"

"Kagome-chan, you're pushing your luck."

The raven-headed girl shrugged. "...It's not like we have much of a choice... There's nothing we can do to that mixture to make it pudding. And I refuse to have wasted all of that fruit."

She walked over to the swinging galley door and took off her makeshift apron, hanging it on a hook she had made by the door. ...She turned around. "...Where exactly is it at again, Shippou...?"

The kitsune was going for the icebox again and never even turned around. "The black curtain in the captain's cabin. ...But you can use the back door leading in. ...It's the one marked, 'stay the fuck out!' by the privy door on that level."

Kagome blinked. 

"Don't worry, it's unlocked. ...I broke it myself." Shippou added.

...With a swift nod she disappeared, barely uttering a 'ja ne.'

...Left alone, Sango looked at Shippou with a wry expression. "...He's in there, isn't he..?"

Shippou poured himself another glass of milk and chugged, then wiping his wet mouth on his sleeve.

"...Let's give her ten minutes."

~*~

"If I don't find that map in five minutes, I'm going to shoot something. ...Or somebody."

Miroku noticeably shrank backwards as Inuyasha rampaged through his desk, tossing its contents behind him, frustratingly. 

"Captain..." the monk sidestepped a flying scroll. "This is the third time you've emptied out that desk, and..." 

A novelty wooden sno-globe with a little pirate ship inside hailstorm-ed as it sailed clean over his head. Miroku patted his hair back into place. "...and, I'm sure it'll be the fourth time you make me clean it:"

Inuyasha claws raked on his desk as he grunted, "Are you complaining?"

"Perhaps," Miroku replied. "Inuyasha. Shouldn't you check the storage chests downstairs? ...Don't you remember that mariner's schooner we overtook seven months back?"

Inuyasha gave a goaded backward glance. "If you're taking about those shit-made cartographer's maps, I already saw them. Not one plots this area!" Inuyasha pounded the desk in frustration, then lowered his head, out of ideas. "Dammit, Miroku, I need that map."

Miroku walked over to his best friend and replaced the sno-globe on the pirated rosewood desk. "Inuyasha, the men are getting a bit restless..."

"I know that! Don't you think it's been a boring two weeks for me too? And... I'm sure by now we've drifted nowhere near Kouga's."

The monk sighed and searched the air for nothing. He looked deep in thought... "You know, now that I think about it... how Lord Kouga got possession of something as precious as a map to the Tama is beyond me." 

Inuyasha was still looking defeated with his head on the table. 

"And..."  Miroku added delicately. "Weren't the two of you classmates or something...?" 

"Keh." Came the muffled reply. Inuyasha rose and walked over to a corner couch (also pirated, and a bit water-stained), plopping down on it and closing his eyes. "...That idiot Kouga was less than a classmate. ...He was just a preppy daddy's boy riding off his father's money. How many fucking times have I told you that?!"

"Many. But I never get tired of the story." Miroku bent over and picked up a stack of papers, evening them. Inuyasha gave him a dirty look. "Miroku, do you _get off at pushing my buttons?"_

The monk feigned an orgasmic look.

Inuyasha looked disgusted and turned away. "NEVER do that in front of me again. Just do me a favor and save it for that fucking bounty hunter."

"Hey, hey now... that's none of your business."

"What's to be secretive of? You go after anything with mounds and legs."

Miroku paused. "...Hmm. No argument there..." His look became glassy as he drifted off into perverted fantasies.

"Keh..." The hanyou crossed his arms. "It's a wonder you haven't gotten into her tights already. But then again, how women can even stand your company baffles me."

The monk ignored Inuyasha's last comment. "...I have to admit, though... Sango-sama does have a bit of competition..." 

Inuyasha looked up, bemused but not even bothering to decipher the monk's comment. "...Shut your mouth, Miroku. I'm sure Shippou doesn't want your attention."

Miroku looked away. "...For your information, it wasn't the kitsune I was talking about, but rather the other cook, Lady Kagome..." The hanyou's ears perked up but he didn't say anything. Miroku rambled on. "What a goddess, she is... shaped like an hourglass and with the face of a tannyou..." He fell out of his thoughts and looked at Inuyasha. "...Oh, wait... you haven't seen her yet, have you?"

Inuyasha clenched his jaw and growled. "Miroku... Get out of my office."

"But captain, what for-"

"Fuck, NOW! Your rambling pisses me off!"

The monk gave a little bow. "...Forgive me, captain, if I have offended you..."

"Are you deaf?"

"No, no captain... but, you wandered off and never told me about Kouga... I can't leave with an unsatisfied curiosity."

"Try."

"Please, captain...?"

Inuyasha looked over and raised his brow at Miroku. "...What the hell do you want to know? You already know why I hate that bastard." 

Miroku replaced some more items in the messy desk. "...No, I know that you hated him and that he got into the school easily... But, you never explained why."

Inuyasha looked away from Miroku and was quiet for a moment. Out of the corner of his eye, the monk saw him clench his fist with quiet resentment. "...I worked my ass off getting into navy school... I spent months writing essays and taking physical exams... and time after time, I failed to get in. Wasn't good enough, they said. ...Sesshoumaru had gotten in with no problem a few years earlier."

Miroku looked at the captain unblinkingly. "...And, Kouga?"

Inuyasha tossed a pillow from the couch onto a high shelf in the room, sending something too the floor and crashing down. "...I went off and trained for a year, making myself stronger and faster and worthy. ...Sesshoumaru had done it, and I fucking had to as well. ...Wouldn't you know it, that after a year in solitude and training, I had gotten in?"

"Very commendable of you..."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Forgive me."

Inuyasha paused again. "...All that cocky little bastard Kouga had to do was beg his daddy to donate a library wing to the school, and bang. ...He's at the top of the class. He was a lieutenant second class after only a month, and a lieutenant after a semester and a half." Inuyasha growled. "...He's just a weak, wimpy little wolf, and it makes me sick. I _hate sniveling little kiss-asses like him..."_

Miroku was quiet in thought for a moment. "...But are you sure that he wasn't actually _good at what he did-"_

The second pillow went flying, this time at Miroku's head.

"Didn't I tell you to shut the fuck up?"

...Miroku moaned in pain. The pillow had been stuffed with little more than sand and gravel. "You kill me, senpai..."

"I will, eventually."

Both captain and first mate were silent for a moment. Miroku rubbing his head and Inuyasha looking out a window in resentment and nostalgia. The monk was the first to speak after he stood and tossed Inuyasha back the couch pillow. "...You know, Inuyasha... what you said reminded me of something..."

"...Of the fact that you turned out to be less of an officer than I did?"

"Actually..." Miroku looked up in the air and thought for a moment. "...You mentioned that Kouga's father donated a library..."

'Yeah? And?"

"Well... just random thought, but have you tried looking in yours for that map you needed..? I think, that I remember seeing an old atlas in there a while ago..."

Inuyasha was silent, rubbing his chin with the why-didn't-I-think-of-that look. "...You know, Miroku...? That isn't a bad idea..."

Miroku bowed. "I strive to be useful, you know."

A loud growl erupted into the air. The hanyou rubbed his stomach. ...He looked down, and suddenly decided that he was hungry. "But, for now, do me another favor..." Miroku looked back at him. "...Go to the galley and get some more of those donuts. ...I haven't had breakfast today, yet."

Miroku tilted his head in a quizzical look. "...Since... when do you have such a thing for donuts?"

"What the hell do you mean?"

"Well... before two weeks ago, you never even mentioned them. Now you ask me to go every two days..."

Inuyasha gave him his most threatening look and held it. "Miroku..." he picked up the rock-hard pillow once again. "...If I have to ask you one more time..."

The monk got the picture and held his arms up in surrender, deciding not to pursue the topic. "Alright, alright... I'm going... And..." he looked back on his way out the door. "Hurry up and go get the atlas..."

Inuyasha grumbled and lay back on the couch, waving him off. "...Yeah, yeah. Get out of my face."

~*~

...Kagome had always loved to read. ...Since before she could walk, her mother had read her fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Kagome was a child who drank up stories like someone would coffee. At the private grammar school she'd attended, full of other stuffy nobles and equally haughty teachers, she'd once beaten up a boy (the son of a well-respected lord), and earning paddle punishment because he'd yanked away her short stories book and called her a nerd. 

He'd left with two missing teeth and a black eye. ...Shamed because of his defeat to a girl a year younger, the boy was transferred off to a fancy boarding school somewhere in the next prefecture.

Kagome quietly pulled a book off the shelf. She had found the captain's library easily enough. ...It was only a matter of following the smell of the privy from a hallway away. ...The captain's level had a MUCH cleaner and richer look to it. ...It looked like he put his loot to good use... The back door to the library was open, just like Shippou said.

The cover of this volume was bland and faded... Kagome couldn't make out the title, so she put it back on the wooden shelf. 

...So many books! ...She hadn't expected a pirate's library to be so in depth. ... It wasn't a very big room, and was actually dusty and dim because of a partially blocked porthole, but every inch of if was packed with literature. There were books on the floor, and even on a small table in-between shelves.

_Wow_... She thought as she walked through the few aisles and ran her hand over the books. ..._This is absolutely great...! _

There were no cookbooks anywhere in sight, though. ...Or, perhaps she was just looking in the wrong place...? They all seemed to be shoved into place without any kind of order.

A small brown book caught her eye as it jutted out from a corner shelf. ...She walked over and inspected it. ..It seemed to have been shoved in rather hastily. She pulled it out... The lettering on cover was golden. 

'Ella Enchanted' it read.

...Kagome's eyes widened. "No way!" she exclaimed.

...This book, this very book, just happened to be her favorite fairy tale... It had been given to her as a present for her seventh birthday. But, as most of her things had been at that age, it was misplaced somewhere she couldn't remember, and Kagome had never found it again. She had always remembered to look for it in a few libraries over the years, but with no such luck. ...It seemed the book was pretty rare.

Kagome opened the faded yellow pages and turned them carefully. This copy looked like it had been read quite a few times. Some pages were old and torn and corners had crease marks from dog-eared bookmarks.

She sat herself against a shelf by a corner and opened up to a random page. 

                _"...I gaped at the page. Read it again. And gaped again. In my daze, I noticed that I had left my sooty thumb marks on the letter._

_                "He loved me. He'd loved me as long as he'd known me!_

_                "I hadn't loved him as long, perhaps, but now I loved him equally well, or better. I loved his laugh, his honorableness, his appreciation of my jokes, his hands, his determination that I should know the worst of him. And, most of all, shameful as though it might be, I loved his love for me._

_                "Placing my candle carefully, I danced and whirled around my room._

_                "I could marry Char and live with my love._

_                "I could leave Mum Olga and her evil spawn._

_                "No one would give me orders._

_I would be free..."_

Kagome turned the page and continued reading, rapt with attention and joy that she had just discovered her favorite fairy tale. There, in the corner, she forgot all about her mission and read on.

The black curtain to the captain's library entrance opened, and footsteps tapped the wooden floor, but Kagome paid no attention.

...Inuyasha held back a sneeze. When the hell was the last time he dusted this place...? He made a mental note to get Miroku to do it for him and glanced around the quiet room, trying to remember where he had put the atlas. 

All of the books in this library had come from other ships in the course of his captaining. ...None of the other men ever saw the point of this order, but Inuyasha was adamant about expanding his book collection. ...That damn fox brat Shippou had also been responsible for pilfering most of his mangas.

Kagome was hidden from view by a few large bookshelves, so neither of them yet knew about the presence of the other. 

Inuyasha walked down one of the aisles inspecting the shelves closely for any trace of the atlas.  Hmm... A guide to Europe, a scholar's overview to geography, a rather old volume arguing that the earth was flat... Nada. .

Inuyasha stopped, and vaguely remembered putting the atlas somewhere in the third row corner. ...He made another mental note to get Miroku to set up some kind of organization here.

Walking to the corner shelf, he looked around, and finally saw a tall, thick volume jutting out from the top shelf. He noiselessly pulled it out, and tucked it under his arm with a satisfied smirk. 

_...Alright, here it is. Kouga, you shit... Be prepared_. Happy, conquest-ing thoughts danced in the hanyou's head.

Suddenly, his ears twitched. ...Had he heard something..? 

Over behind the shelf, Kagome turned a page and shifted.

Inuyasha just happened to glance down, and something caught his eye. ...Where there should have been a book, there was a space and nearby books falling into it. 

The hanyou growled. Shippou...?

He took a deep sniff... The faint smell of vanilla wafted into his nose.

Kagome was oblivious to the soft sounds of footsteps.

                _"..And I had no doubt my secret would be discovered._

_                "In court there would be eyes and ears that would be alive to such signs. I'd never manage to fool them all._

_                "What could I do? Mother had ordered me not to tell anyone about the curse, but Mandy could countermand the order so I'd be able to tell Char, Then he could take precautions._

_                "I'd tell him, I'd wake Mandy now. I sat up in bed, happy again. And sank back._

_                "What precautions could Char take? He could prevent anyone from speaking or writing to me. He could shut me away. That might do, but he would have to bring me my meals, the flax to spin my clothes, the wood for my fire. It would be a burden similar to one of Lucinda's wedding gifts. And what would Kyrria think of a hermit queen? And how would I feel, locked away like Rapunzel in her tower? Moreover, the best precautions might fail..."_

Inuyasha crept between the shelves, where he spied around the corner. ...There was nobody. Kagome, meanwhile, rubbed her nose in the imminent reaction of sneezing from the dust. She turned another page and absently decided to take this book with her as well.

Inuyasha, with all of his inherent hanyou stealth finally looked around the right corner. ...And there she sat. ...The girl.  Kagome.

...Reading a book.

Inuyasha blinked once. This wasn't Shippou. ...Perhaps that was why he didn't feel the urge to explode in a fit of his usual captainly rage. Kagome, meanwhile finally lost the battle and gave a good, loud sneeze. "_ACHOO!_"

The sudden loud noise jolted her from her world and Kagome suddenly remembered why she was here in the first place. She scrambled up and closed the small book. Inuyasha retracted his head just as she looked his way.

"God, Kagome... you're an _idiot_. Just get the cookbook and leave!" She dusted off her skirt from sitting on the floor and maneuvered in between an aisle. Sango and Shippou were probably wondering what had happened to her by now. ...She must have been gone from the kitchen for at least half an hour! Or maybe it just felt that way?

She scanned all of the titles in that aisle, finding nothing at all relevant to what she was looking for.  ...In her head, she imagined Sango's disappointment when she announced they'd be serving their men 'citrus pudding'. She gave a loud sigh and turned the corner. 

Inuyasha was there, waiting with his arms crossed, looking very nonchalant.

And, for the second time since she'd set foot on the ship, Kagome collided with the red-clothed hanyou. 

The dark-haired girl jumped out of her skin, giving a yelp and shrinking back. Her heart just came out of her mouth with surprise and fright. 

Inuyasha stared at her. Kagome stared back.

For a second, both just stared at each other.

"...Inu...?"

Huh? _Inu?__ The captain didn't register the name at first. _Why the hell is she calling me 'Inu'?_ Kagome put her hand to her chest and took a deep breath. "Gods, Inu... you scared the CRAP out of me!"_

Inuyasha briefly recalled the last time they'd met. She'd given him donuts, and he'd choked on one, managing to garble out his name. ...Inu. Then, she'd fallen asleep.

_...Well, no wonder. But..._ Inuyasha thought to himself. _Does that mean... that she doesn't know who I really am?_

Inuyasha gave a wry look. "I usually have that effect on people. ...What the hell are you doing here?"

Kagome held the fairy-tale book closely to her side. "...Well actually, I needed a cookbook... any cookbook, so that I could finish a recipe for dinner... and I wasn't having much-"  Kagome took a look around, suddenly lowering her voice. ..._Could I be__ any louder? _

"...wasn't having much luck." She whispered.

The hanyou read her movements easily. ...So she wasn't afraid of HIM... but she was cautious. For the 'captain', he bet. But how... could she NOT know the captain was standing right in front of her? 

Kagome looked at him, then down to the large book underneath his arm. "So..." she said slowly, not knowing what to say. The last time she saw this pirate, was two weeks ago, on the deck of the ship.

"...What are you doing here? It doesn't look like 'Whiteclaw's' anywhere around..."

His suspicions were confirmed, but, Inuyasha held back.  "...I... just came to get something... for the captain." He lied. In the back of his mind, he wondered, _How__ long will she think that I'm 'Inu', and not Whiteclaw...? _

Kagome smiled, "I see..." Good... then she was safe.

"Hey, Inu..." she said.

"Yeah?" He glanced at the girl.

"Thanks."

"For...?"

Kagome rose up on her toes, looking on a shelf for what she thought looked like a cookbook. She pulled it out, disappointed with the title. _Nutrition and You._

"You know, that night when I fell asleep on the deck... You were the one who took me to my room, weren't you? ...Damn this book..." She put it back on the shelf.

Inuyasha gave an apathetic shrug and pretended not to care. "...Keh. It's dangerous to sleep out on the deck. Even an idiot knows that. If the ship would have run into a storm, your scrawny body would have been washed out to Australia by now."

"Aw... thanks for caring..." 

Her voice was only mildly sarcastic, but Inuyasha didn't pick up on it. His face warmed slightly. "...I don't." Inuyasha turned away from her. "You're the only fucking cook on this damn ship. And it doesn't taste like complete shit." 

...Kagome smiled secretly at what she knew was an underlying compliment. 

"By the way," she said, reaching out and touched the hanyou's shoulder. "...How did you find my backpack? ...I mean, that _was you too right?"_

He quickly moved away from her reach. "Keh. ...It was in the basement, along with all of the other loot from the Survivor. And it stank like you."

Kagome looked the least bit insulted. "And what do I 'stink' like...?"

Inuyasha gave a haughty look. "...Like a woman."

"Oh? ...Do you have something against women?" The girl gritted her teeth at the hanyou. She suddenly paused at a thought and nodded to herself. "Ohh, I get it... You're gay, aren't you?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened tremendously and he sputtered, turning around. "That- that's not what I meant!"

Kagome gave him a sly look. "...Of course it's not..."

"Bitch, I'm not gay!" 

Kagome's hands rose in surrender and she pressed her lips together to keep from snickering.  "Alright! Fine, fine... whatever you say." She turned, to walk down the aisle. "Of course... with a ship full of men, I wouldn't really blame you if... well, you know..."

Inuyasha blinded by temper and machismo, reached out and spun Kagome around by the shoulders, pulling her closely and glaring at her directly in the eye.

"I... Am... Not... Gay." He spelled out through gritted teeth.

"Um..." Kagome shifted uncomfortably. ...That was when Inuyasha noticed that his face was less than two inches away from hers.

He stopped short and pushed her away, disappearing from that aisle and leaving Kagome alone. ...The girl blinked as she heard a shuffle and collapse of books from two aisles over. The hanyou suddenly reappeared in front of her, shoving a small, thick hard-cover book in her hand; _Easy Cooking: From Apple Pie to Zucchini Bread, 101 Recipes._

"Here," He growled. "Now get out of here before I- the captain gets pissed."  He picked up his atlas and shoved past her with the intent to disappear outside the black curtain at the end of the aisle.

"Hey, wait!" Kagome called after him and grabbed his shoulder. "What?!" he spat.

Kagome looked a little taken aback. "...Aw, come on... Don't be mad, okay? I'm sorry."

"Keh!" came the hanyou's reply.

"No, I swear. Really... that was mean of me. And um, thanks for the book..."

Inuyasha glanced down. ...She held the cookbook in her hand, but she also had another. ...One that looked very, very familiar. He reached down, and took her hand by the wrist, raising it and then taking the small brown book from her hand. ..._Ella Enchanted._

Inuyasha looked at her in the eye. "...Where did you get this?"

His glare made Kagome a bit nervous. "Um... it was in a corner shelf there, just sticking out... It happened to be my favorite fairy tale, and I... haven't seen it since I was little..."

Inuyasha was silent, nothing but a hard look on his face. 

...This book... This small book, was probably the only one in his collection that was actually _his_. Well, rather... his mother's. ...After she had died, Inuyasha had taken and kept the small fairy-tale volume with him everywhere he went. It had followed him since, afterward... It was the only memory of her that he had left...

But of course, the tough-skinned hanyou wasn't about to admit that. He growled, "What, were you planning to steal it?"

Kagome looked taken aback again. "No! ...I was just reading it, and forgot that I was holding it... Look, I'll put it back if you want, okay..?"

Inuyasha glared at her, silent. Kagome winced under his grip. Realizing he was causing her pain, the hanyou let go of her hand.

Kagome rubbed her wrist and spoke a shade softer. "...I'm sorry... Is that one yours...?"

Inuyasha looked away. "...The captain would have noticed if someone had taken one of his books."

"Oh."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, who as looking at the floor. ...Her sad and disappointed expression was evident, and affected the hanyou more than it should have... He turned to her and said slowly. "...Alright. Fine. Take it with you, but I want it back before tomorrow night, you got it?"

She looked up, a small smile growing on her face. Her brown eyes were brighter again. "Do... you really mean it...?"

The hanyou grunted and looked away. "...If you mess it up, I'll kill you."

She smiled. "I swear, it's in good hands..." She paused, thinking for a moment. "So... why don't I... meet you up on deck then? To return it, I mean. At the same place as last time..."

Inuyasha keh'd again, and began to walk away from Kagome. ...She took that to signify a yes. She watched his red-clothed back walk away from her and out into the curtain. She brought the book up to her chest and smiled a 'thank you.' Kagome never even noticed she was the tiniest bit pink.

She also glanced at the cookbook. ...Sango would be needing this as soon as possible...

~*~

All was chaos as Kagome walked back into the kitchen. Sango stood over a writhing Miroku on the floor, and Shippou was laughing hysterically on the table.

"You want to touch my '_donuts_', ey?" Sango fumed.

Kagome blinked as Shippou looked up and noticed her with laughter still in his eyes.

"Um... Did I miss something?" she asked, puzzled.

Sango looked up and saw her friend standing at the doorway with books in her arms. Miroku made a weak noise from the floor. "Kagome-chan! You're back!" The taijiiya ran over.

Kagome looked over Sango's shoulder to the monk struggling up from the floor. "Don't tell me he's back again."

Sango rolled her eyes and gave a sour look. "...Yeah. Third time this week. The same order, but he still won't tell me who it's for."

"Is that why you smacked him?" She saw Miroku get up and dust off his holy robes behind her. Shippou said something smart-mouthed to the monk and was quickly clouted on the head.

"No. He just got fresh."

"So, nothing new then."

"Unfortunately."

Sango looked down to see two books in Kagome's hands. "...Ah, Kagome-chan! You found them then?" Kagome looked down at her hands and handed the cookbook to her friend.

"Un. See what you can find in this one."

Sango looked the book over, pleased with what she saw. She opened the book to the table of contents and flipped a few pages. A few moments later, she announced, "I... I think I found it!" She turned around and started to walk away from Kagome to the counter when she glanced back, to the other book the girl was holding. "...What's that other book, Kagome-chan?"

"Oh, this..?" She held the small brown book up higher. She quickly debated whether she should tell Sango about Inu. "It's... just something I got from a friend."

Sango nodded, not bothering to register what Kagome had just said. She walked to the counter and began assembling ingredients.

Kagome approached Miroku and Shippou, sighing. "Miroku, if you want another batch of our donuts... you're going to have to tell us who they're for."

The monk stood up straight looking very stately. "Certainly then, Kagome-sama. ...Your pastries just happen to be very popular among the men, and I happen to be a representative of the men. ...I doubt he-... they have the courage to come get them themselves."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Are you _sure_ they're not just for you?"

"Why, of course not. ...I'd have gained significantly by now, don't you think?"

Kagome just blinked at the monk and went to go fill up a bag. Shippou followed her to the makeshift breadbox they had set up and took one himself. 

A few minutes later, she handed Miroku a bag, along with a pitcher of milk. "...Here... Tell whoever you're feeding this to that they'll taste a lot better with a swig of this."

Miroku took both items gratefully. "...Thank you for your generosity, Lady Kagome." 

He gave a small bow, and walked quickly out the door, bashfully avoiding Sango's eye.

Kagome looked over to Sango who was at that point, kneading some rough dough. Shippou had hopped over and sat next to her, happily chewing on his donut.

"You know, Sango-chan... I think he likes you."

Sango only knead harder.

~*~

Inuyasha was suddenly very, very pleased. ...There it was... the map he was looking for all along, on the pages of the atlas. ...His compass and astrolabe were strewn over his desk, and he had already plot the way to Kouga's.

Miroku came in a few minutes later, holding a bag and white pitcher, looking very flushed indeed.

"Your lunch, sir." He said, placing it down on a desk.

Inuyasha glanced back to his first mate. "Miroku, do me another favor."

The monk groaned, but Inuyasha smiled a fanged grin.

"...Go and tell the men that we are finally ready to set sail."

~*~

AN: Eeek! Oh my sweet lord... That has got to have been the longest chapter I have ever written. I just wanted to get so much out here, and didn't feel like breaking up the chapters and leaving everybody in suspense.

...The book I used for this chapter, by the way, is a real book, Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine. ...It's also been my favorite story since about the sixth grade, and is definitely a great read. ...All of you go get it!

Things are getting even screwier in the plotline... Inuyasha's preparing to head straight for Kagome's fiancée's manor. He doesn't know who she is, she doesn't know who _he_ is... It's like a weird soap opera...

By the way, an 'astrolabe' is a piece of old-fashioned navigational equipment that sailors used to navigate the stars. Just thought you'd like to know.

Thanks to my reviewers again! 

_Golden-lover90_- Thanks for the point-out.^^ The last chapter was hastily done, and I'm sure I made some typos in there somewhere...

_Jiao-chan_: What flames are you talking about? I don't recall seeing any.^^

_Shorty40_: Unfortunately, yes... Kikyou's making an appearance. But don't worry, I hate the frigid bitch too.

I'll try to get chapter 9 to you as soon as possible... And please...

*chants in your ear* _review... review__... review..._


	9. Love in a Kicthen

AN: Whee... Chapter nine. ..I'm thoroughly surprised I've made it this far with this fic, but even more surprising is that until I'm done with it, it won't be abandoned. ^^ No long authors note today, and all your questions will be answered at the end of the chapter. ....Hop to it!

By the way... I'm eating a Whatchamacallit. ...I didn't even know they still made these.

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 9**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was dinnertime on the happy ship once more. Row after row of pirates lined themselves against the wooden bar, eagerly awaiting their home-cooked meal. Amidst the jumble of voices, a surly one-eyed pirate, not used to order and patience, yelled out angrily. "Why the hell ain't 'dis line moving?!" He punched the pirate in front of him on the back of the head. "Get 'de hell out of my way!"

Kagome leaned over from her serving post behind the bar and gave the speaker a disapproving look. 

"...Moku-kun ..." She said. "...Do you remember what I told you about what we do in line?"

The pirate stopped, taking off his hat and fiddling with it. he looked silly with embarrassment. "Um... We... wait?"

"...And?" the young girl prodded.

"...We're quiet? An' we respect others..."

Kagome smiled sweetly. "That's right, Moku. I'm _very_ proud of you. Remember that an impatient pirate is a bad pirate. Now, please take off your hat. We're indoors."

"Yes ma'am." The pirate nodded.

Sango, who was beside her in a handmade apron with spatula in her hand, turned to Kagome and whispered. "I think we scare them."

Kagome gave a scoop of potatoes au' gratin to a bowing pirate. "There you go, Hitan. A full serving, all for you." The pirate bowed again. "...It's Hiten, Kagome-sama. But thank you for the food." 

"You are most welcome." She smiled until her lips were frozen in place. She leaned over and returned Sango's whisper. "No way. ...They're just sucking up."

At the end of the bustling food line, Kirara dropped an orange on each pirate's tray. ...Kagome glanced the demon-cat's way, remembering an announcement and called out. "Now, remember boys! You can never have too much vitamin C! We don't want to get scurvy, do we?"

"No, Kagome-sama!" they all chorused in a singsong voice. 

The sound of child-like pirates made Sango shiver. "Okay. Now, I'm creeped. ...What did you put into the roast to make them all first-graders?"  Kagome smiled widely, half singing, half talking. "Why... Just a little scoop of _loooove! Just a little pinch of I-need-youuu... It's got a dash of-"_

Sango sweatdropped. "Shut up."

The dark-haired girl realized where she was and promptly did so, then feeling no weight on her spatula with the scoop, looked down. "Dammit. Look at that... already.  Hey, Sango... would you go back to the kitchen and wait for the next tin of potatoes to be done? It'll be like... five minutes."

Sango blinked at a three-toothed pirate who, standing in front of her, grinned suggestively. She leaned over to Kagome one more time. "Next... we teach them the propers of dental hygiene."

Kagome, impatient, whispered back in sarcastic excitement. "And then potty training _too? Sango. Hurry. We need potatoes." _

The taijiiya raised her brow. "Now... what did we learn, Kagome? An impatient pirate cook... is a _bad_ pirate cook." 

"Sango!"

The woman relented. "Fine, fine. Give them all salads until I get back." One of the men groaned loudly. A few cursed. She turned to exit the mess hall.

"Now, boys... What did I say about profanity...?" She heard Kagome lecture on the way out.

~*~

Sango got to the kitchen a few moments later, and wasted no time in heading straight for the oven. She checked it with a brief opening and closing of the oven door. ...The taijiiya gave herself a satisfied smile. ...These were HER potatoes au gratin, and she practically drank up the sight of the men devouring them with utter contentment. ...Why, soon, she dreamt to herself, she'd be making white wine cake. And... if she was daring enough, _soufflé_'. ...French food-flavored visions danced in her head.

The door swung open behind her, and Sango gave a backward glance as the familiar purple-robed monk walked in. Automatically, the brown-haired woman's lips hardened into a thin line. Miroku walked... or rather, limped to the high counter in the middle of the galley. He pulled out a chair and, gripping his stomach, took a seat.

Sango turned around, tone icy. "Houshi-dono, the food is _out there.._. You're not allowed to barge into the galley whenever you want."

Miroku gave a confused and pained look. "Really? Since when?"

"Since... now."

Sango watched as the monk's face fell. His hands then gripped his stomach, and with a look of pain, he doubled over on the table. Sango's eyes widened, but her voice remained hard. "Gods, monk... What the hell is wrong with you now?"

Miroku glanced up. There was sweat on his face. "Water..." he gasped. "Get me water."

Sango was utterly clueless as to what was going on, but Miroku's desperate plea set off an alarm within, and before thinking she went for a clay pitcher sitting a little ways away on the smooth countertop and grabbed the closest available cup.

The next thing Miroku saw when he looked up was a soft white hand gripping a cup of water. He reached out and took it. ...The monk didn't notice Sango flinching at his touch.

A few minutes later, the taijiiya was seated in front of Miroku on the center counter, and he himself sat staring at the table, panting slowly, his hand still gripping his stomach. Sango gave him a wide eyed blink. "So, that was all about _what_, exactly?" she asked, staring at the monk.

He raised his head and looked at her, pain evident in his bright blue eyes. "...Jalapeños..." he said with another drop of sweat running down the side of his face. "...I lost... a bet..."

Sango's eyebrow rose and her voice was incredulous. "...Oh?" 

"...Had to eat... forty... jalapeños..." His look changed to one of desperation and he doubled over in pain again. 

Sango sat very still, not knowing whether to rush to the poor man's side or start bitching. ...So, _that's_ where the missing food can had gone. The taijiiya had recounted the food stores three times to ensure she hadn't lost it. It was a frustrating experience. ...She was silent, seething with partial anger... and partial pity.

Then, Miroku looked up at her. His look was getting desperate, and Sango saw that his eyes were turning a bit red. "Please, Sango... please help me..."

The taijiiya felt the pitiful blue eyes bore into her, and though she didn't want to, she couldn't help but feel her anger waning away. He was suddenly so childlike and pitiful. She stood, going to Miroku's side as he doubled over in pain again. "Just... stay still for a little while. I'm... going to prepare you an antacid, alright...?"

The monk didn't seem to hear.

Sango busied herself in the kitchen, going from counter to counter and once to the storeroom quickly gathering supplies and dumping them the closest wooden surface. Her worry for the monk's well-being started to mount. _...I never mastered this recipe... she thought worriedly. __What if I poison him...? Sango closed her eyes in concentration and tried to remember what the small medicine handbook from Myouga had said..._

"Two spoons of whey...? Or one?" she chopped and measured ingredients and tossed them into a bowl, stirring fervently every now and then. Behind her, she could hear Miroku moaning in pain. Though she didn't notice it, a drop of sweat had appeared on her forehead as well. 

"Sango...?" the monk said weakly. The bounty hunter's hand trembled a little as she stirred the bowl, now filled with a thick, sour-smelling liquid. _...It's nothing, she thought. _...I'm shaking out of concern, that's all...__

Miroku raised his head, and watched as Sango finally made her way toward him, carrying a tall glass of something white... and bubbly. Despite himself, he became a bit nervous.

Sango was at his side and bent over, putting the glass in his hand. ...From where she stood, the smell of the concoction almost made her hair curl. Miroku, with one hand still on his stomach and one hand wrapped around the glass, looked back at her. 

"...Is it... safe..?"

Instinctively, Sango's fist went for the houshi's head. She hid her uncertainty as her temper flared and she half-shouted in offense, "Of course it's safe!" Miroku winced at the pain at the back of his skull. Nevertheless... he brought the glass closer to his lips...

_I put a piece of blowfish in there..._ Worried thoughts drifted into the taijiiya's head as she watched Miroku go for the glass. ...She had never made a folk remedy before, and wasn't at all sure how the medicine handbook had said to make the antacid. ..Miroku would either now recover, with nothing to sting but the taste... or he would fall over, poisoned. ...At her side, her fist tightened.

Miroku, meanwhile, held his breath as his lips touched the liquid. Even without breathing he could smell it, but tried not to think of it. ...If Sango had made this medicine, he'd have to drink it. ...Besides, nothing compared to the war going on in his gut right now...

The drink went down thickly, leaving a sharp, sour trail down Miroku's tongue. He clanged the finished glass on the wood next to him and felt his head go down to the tabletop.

"Houshi?" Sango asked. "..Houshi...?"

Miroku doubled over again... and slid to the floor.

Sango, stronger concern taking over, knelt down and turned him over. "Houshi, are you alright?"

Miroku had his eyes closed. ...He was focusing on the digestion within. [AN...Digestion within... sounds like a proverb.^^] His stomach moaned loudly, not used to the level of such abuse. Pain struck his stomach once more, and he winced, curling up.

Suddenly, Miroku felt a passing cool in his stomach... The pain seemed to subside, and the cool feeling spread from his stomach, to his chest, and all regions following. The monk opened his eyes, and Sango helped him slowly, and shakily sit up.

"...Are you alright...?" she asked again, this time softer.

Miroku was silent for a moment... his hand went to his gut, and he felt it.... no pain... no rumbling. ...The devil pepper's acid had been neutralized. Sango felt herself relax with relief...

"I... am..." he said, somewhat surprised. His eyes trailed to Sango's face. "...What did you give me?"

She tried to ignore his searching gaze. Her face was turning pink, she knew it.. but _why_? "...It was just... a mixture of a few basic ingredients..."

"Basic... as in PH-level...?"

"Yes..."

Miroku swallowed a few more times, trying to rid himself of the aftertaste. Sango handed him the cup of water from the tabletop. He looked up at her... thankfully. Sango looked away.

"Thank you, Sango-sama..." he tried to get to his feet.

"Don't mention it." She muttered curtly. Sango stood as well, turning away from him. The silence became thick in the room. ...She was suddenly unsure of what to say or do. 

"...Now that you're feeling fine, go back outside with the others." She said with a touch of annoyance. ...It was the only thing she could think of saying.

"But..." the monk said slowly and paused. "...I'd rather be in here. ...With you."

Sango's body froze. ..._With her_...? 

Her jaw clenched. ...And she said the next thing that instinctively came to mind. "You're such an annoying monk! Did you not hear me say to go back outside? I'm busy and have things to do and DON'T need you near me!" She turned around, intent on giving him even more of her mind. 

...Miroku wasn't looking at her, making her stop short. ...He gazed at the floor, face not visible, silent.

....The monk's mouth opened, speaking in a soft voice... "Do I... do I really disgust you that much, Sango-sama...?"

Sango's tongue was tied. ...What could she say? ...So long she had thought she hated him. He was a just perverted, stupid monk, right? And a pirate to boot! But... watching him staring at the ground... Her heart began to beat faster.

He turned around, still avoiding her eye... "I... don't pretend to think I'm the best man... I belittle you, touching you so and I know you must hate me for it, but..." he looked at her... and dropped the small bombshell. 

"...But I think... I think that I have liked you, ever since you first made an appearance on the ship." 

Sango's heart began to pound... Miroku looked to the floor.  

"Don't laugh at me, I know I must sound ridiculous, but ...but... I think you are very... special... special and strong. And just... an amazing woman..." Miroku trailed off. Sango's head was lowered and her face was away from sight... She said nothing. ...Inside the apron pockets, her hands trembled. Miroku was silent... pink and embarrassed, waiting for a sign from the bounty hunter...

There came none. ...He took a deep breath. "...But... I'll do as you wish, Sango-sama..." he said and turned from her. "I'll leave you be... Forgive me for my outburst." 

Miroku, dejected, began to walk toward the galley door.

"...Wait..." he heard the voice behind him.

Miroku turned around, and Sango was looking at him, soft-eyed and sorrowful. _Tell him... she thought. __Tell him the truth, Sango..._

"I..." She began softly, coming closer to him.

"...I am the one who should ask for your forgiveness..." She looked into his blue eyes, trying desperately to keep her hands from shaking. "...I have... treated you so badly, worse than even you, a pirate, should have. And I suppose..." She looked down, away from the monk's steady gaze. ..._Do it! _Her heart shouted to her.

"...I suppose it's because I like you too..."

Miroku's eyes momentarily widened. ...Sango continued to babble. "...All those times I was so rude and mean and just downright nasty. I'm sorry I don't know what would come over me... You were probably just trying to be nice and all and-" 

...She felt Miroku's arms wrap around her.

The houshi was silent, and Sango, wide eyed, was wrapped in his embrace.

"I... I...." She stuttered softly, looking up. She was pressed against his chest... His arms were firm and he smelled... well, good.

"...Sango, why don't we just... start over...?" he said quietly.

The taijiiya was silent. She felt her arms rise... and wrap around him as well. "Will you forgive me?" Her gaze tilted upwards again.

Miroku was silent again. _This is it..._ Miroku told himself. Though he didn't realize it, his heart was pounding just as fervently. _Either you do it now... or never._.. 

...Before he could stop himself, he bent down and placed a kiss on Sango's quivering lips.

...She felt herself grow warm... Her mind raced and screamed at her to stop, shouting at her the predetermined opinions she once had about the monk that suddenly... seemed so petty and childish. His lips pressed a bit more against hers and her mind screamed again, but this time, she ignored it, and pressed back. ..._This is how you felt the whole time... she told herself... _Will you_ __just let yourself fall for him...?_

"There is nothing to forgive."

From the end of the room, the galley door cracked open a peek. ...Kagome looked in, blinking. Sango and Miroku. 

...Kissing.

...She quietly shut the door, and leaned against the outer frame. On her face, a small smile appeared. 

...Screw the potatoes... This was much more juicy.

~*~

The moonlight streamed through the porthole, and candlelight flickered as Kagome dipped her feather pen into the inkwell, scribbling something onto the paper. She shivered, the cold wind coming in through the window she hadn't been able to close.

_Dear Journal..._ she wrote.

_Haha! ...I knew the spark was there between the two, but they were just too shy and childish to admit it... Wouldn't you know it that the bounty hunter and the pirate finally realized their sweet, sweet amour in the kitchen? ...I'd just come in to get the potatoes. The pirates outside were starting to get antsy, and I saw it all. ...Completely off topic, Sango'd be proud that her cuisine was such a hit. _

_Anyways, I don't plan to tell her I saw anytime soon... With her pride, she'd probably knock me unconscious. Or sic Kirara on me. Or something._

Kagome paused, looking at the paper, deep in thought. She adjusted herself on the bed, and bent to write again.

_On a few deeper thoughts...__ I don't know how much longer I am to stay here. I wonder when it is what Mama and Souta and Grandpa will realize I'm gone, if they haven't already... And what of my groom-to-be, Lord Kouga? What of my 30,000 yen wedding dress? It was back on board the Survivor... Grandpa practically sold his left kidney for it, and I hate to think of what Paulina would do if she found out it was gone._

_...I... honestly can't say that I hate being here on a pirate ship... and, the farther away I am from being married... the happier I'll be..._

She paused again. ..The candlelight was beginning to die. 

_...By the way... I've just finished the last page of Ella Enchanted... It was better than the first time I read it! I can understand why Inu is so protective of his book, because I'm sure I'd be just the sa-_

Kagome, frozen for a second, suddenly abandoned the journal reached under her pillow, and pulled out a familiar brown and golden book. She flipped through the pages once, and tilted her head back, groaning. "...Today is the day after yesterday! And that means that..." She sat up in bed shutting the journal and sliding it quickly underneath her pillow. "I completely forgot! Kagome, you blonde!" she berated herself harshly. From the cot in the corner, Sango gave a sleepy toss. The brown-haired girl shushed herself, and tossed the feather pen back in the inkwell. She climbed off her bed, and pulled on her sailor suit.

_There's no way Inu's still going to be there. ...You just left him hanging like a tie on a clothesline! _Kagome slipped on her shoes and hugged the book to her chest. She blew out the candle by her bedside and slipped toward the door, with a last look at a sleep-giggling Sango before she closed the door shut behind her.

~*~

He was just where she thought he'd be... and looking exactly the same. Inu sat on his haunches, his mouth in a scowling pout and his haori was soaked from the sea spray. Tonight's sea was a bit more active than usual, and large waves rocked the ship on its watery bed. Kagome was a few yards behind Inu when she saw his ear twitch in her direction. His head turned slowly, face never moving from the same pouty scowl.

"Inu..." She breathed. ...Man, oh man... what an embarrassing situation. ...He looked like he'd been here for over an hour.  Yet, she was relieved to see him again... The hanyou looked terrible. His hair was wet and stringy from the sea spray and his outfit was soggy.

"I've been waiting for a fucking hour." He growled.

"Gomen ne..." Kagome smiled sheepishly, not quite knowing what to say. ...She forgot, maybe?  ...She was tied up?

Inuyasha stood and extended his arm. With one twist of his clawed hands, a bucketful of water was wrung from the folds of his fire-rat kimono. "Let me guess... You forgot." He said wryly. He scowled, growling. "...You're just like all women. ...Forgetful and damn inconsiderate. Thanks to you, I'll probably catch pneumonia!" ...It was a lie, as youkai don't get sick, but he thought it added nicely to the guilt.

"I...I..." Kagome felt herself turning pink. "...You're right... I forgot. Inu, I'm so, so sorry! It was... pretty air-headed of me, but I swear, I'm not usually such a ditz. I just had..." Thoughts traveled back to Sango and Miroku. "I just had something occupying on my mind..." Hugging the book to her chest, she went up to the hanyou, who looked at her with hard yellow eyes. "I don't suppose you'd want to hold this now, huh?" She clutched it tighter to protect it from a bit of spray. The hanyou scowled and turned from her. His dripping hair made small pool on the floor. "Keep it. A lot of good _I'll_ do to it, now."

"I'm sorry..." she apologized again.

"Forget it."

There was a stack of barrels parallel to the ship wall, and Inuyasha plopped down against it. The large objects prevented him from the sea waves. The hanyou, arms crossed, glanced at Kagome who was standing in the same place, watching him. "Well?" he said he said with a touch of sarcasm. "I don't suppose you enjoy sitting _down." _

Kagome blinked. ..._Huh? He's inviting me to take a seat?_ "...Uh, sure, okay. ...Thanks." 

The pirate said nothing as she helped herself to a dry seat next to him. Kagome wondered why he hadn't just sat there in the first place. She looked over at the hanyou, who sat with arms crossed, but head leaned against the barrels. ...His eyes were momentarily closed. Except for the softly crashing waves, there was silence. Kagome felt the sudden urge to speak...

"...You know," she began, pulling it out of nowhere. "...I might sound a little weird saying this but, I think... I'm actually... starting to like it here. ...You know... on this ship." ...Where had that come from? She looked over to Inuyasha, who had opened and stared at her with those same yellow eyes. ...Kagome had almost laughed at his expression... He really did look just like a wet dog.

"What do you mean, you're starting to 'like' it here?" Inuyasha said dubiously with raised brow. "This is a _pirate ship_... not a one week cruise. In fact, in a month, you'll probably be begging to be dropped overboard..."  He heard Kagome snort. The conversation suddenly seemed to pick up.

"You're underestimating me a lot, Inu. Did you forget that I've already been here for three weeks? If I was the delicate type, I would have dropped myself overboard after the first day."

"Yeah, well..." That was very true, Inuyasha thought unwittingly. She was, afterall... some kind of girl...

Kagome gave a large, silent sigh. She tucked the book inside her sailor suit and looked at Inu. Right then and there, as the brown-haired girl gazed at him, there was an inherent need in her to talk to him. ..She felt that she could. 

"Inu... I... don't know what it is about you that I feel I can trust, but..."

Inuyasha heard her words and swallowed deeply. ..._Trust? What kind of mead does she drink?_

 "But if I had to choose between staying here and being homeward bound on the Survivor... I'd... much rather be here." 

Needless to say, the pirate captain's interest was peaked. "...Yeah...? Then, by the sound of it... I don't suppose you were looking forward to your destination very much, now were you?" ...By the time the sound of his voice made Inuyasha realize that he was having a casual, non-pirating related conversation with the first person in a long time, she was already laughing sardonically. "Ha... Yeah. ...That's an understatement." 

She fiddled with the fabric on her skirt.  "Inu... I don't suppose you've ever been forced to have to do something you really hated... but had to do it anyway for the sake of someone else..?" Whoa, what a mouthful. ....But it didn't matter much now... Kagome needed somebody to talk to like this... and, the opportunity had never arrived with Sango.

Inuyasha was silent for a moment. "...And this would be pertaining to what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing... just a hypothetical question..." She was looking upwards, into the sky.

"Oh, really? Are you sure?"

Kagome gave him a look. ...It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize she was referring to herself, but she was wasn't yet ready to open the entire can of worms.

"Yeah, I'm... sure."

Inuyasha leaned back against the barrels staring straight ahead of him. "I've had to do a lot of shit I didn't want to do in my lifetime... And, it was never really for anyone else but myself. ...I never had anybody to sacrifice for. I don't have a mother or father. So, maybe you should consider yourself lucky that you... or this person, has that."

Suddenly, Kagome felt a little petty. "I'm sorry..."

"For what?"

"Well, you know. ...Your parents... It must have been hard for you."

"Keh." Inuyasha spat. "What do you think I am, a fucking daisy? ...I'm used to being alone. And I like it that way."

Kagome was silent. She heard Inuyasha speak again. "...But, if whatever you- this person is being forced to do in turn crushes their spirit, then... maybe it's not worth following afterall."

Kagome nodded slowly. "Sage advice..." she said. Both the hanyou and the hostage sat in silence for a few minutes more.

"So..." Kagome turned. She looked at Inu once more, eager to take the silence out of the atmosphere. "Why don't you tell me about yourself? I doubt you're always so quiet and secretive..."

"Keh. So what if I am? What if I like my privacy?"

"There's a difference between privacy and being antisocial. Come on. Something... anything. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Inuyasha turned his head away and rolled his eyes. "Phhft. Bad topic."

"So... that would mean..."

"A brother. Older. We're not close. Just drop it."

Both were silent again. ....Then Inuyasha ventured. "...And you?"

"Me what?"

Any brothers or sisters, stupid."

She looked at him darkly. "Hey. Don't call me stupid."

"Moron, then. Just answer the question."

Kagome changed to a wry look. "You're not too bright on noble etiquette, are you?"

"Keh! Do I _look_ like a fucking noble?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched a bit when he said that. Kagome, who had already developed a fascination for his ears, felt like laughing, as he looked more and more like just a wet dog as the time passed. "A brother. Younger. ...His name's Souta."

Inuyasha looked over at her and scowled. "...What the hell are you smiling for?"

"Nothing." Kagome tried to suppress a giggle. The wind had blown thick lock of Inu's hair over, giving him an odd looking hairdo. That, combined with his wide bright yellow eyes and puppy ears made for a funny Kodak moment. 

"Are you laughing at me?!" His eyes narrowed. If there was one thing he hated with a passion, it was ridicule. The wind blew again, giving him an even more lopsided look.

Kagome, never being one to contain herself, gave up and burst in giggles. "I'm... I'm sorry..." she said between laughs. "You... you just look... like... such a puppy!" More laughter. An anime-esque sweat drop appeared on Inuyasha's forehead.

".A... _puppy_?" _What the hell?!_

Kagome tried to control her laughter while Inuyasha sat there, looking ridiculously sullied. After about a minute, the hilarity died down, and Kagome turned to Inu, with just a few last giggles escaping her lips. "Here..." she reached out and put the lock of hair back in place, patting it down with her hand. "...Now you look proper."

Her touch had been very, very soft. Inuyasha tried to push it out of his head... "Proper?" he said the word with disgust. "What means this... _proper?"_

Kagome smiled. "...It means... not like a pirate."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "...Then I guess it isn't the best term to use, now is it?"

"...You never know. You just might fit the mold one day."

"Of a noble?! ...Baka. I'd rather make out with a shark."

The dark-eyed girl smirked slightly. "With that attitude, it might be the only action you'll ever get."

Inuyasha angrily turned once more. To this reaction, Kagome responded with another bout of laughter. Her laughter was so happy and genuine, that the presently peeved captain felt the anger slowly drain... What was it about Kagome that made him so... so... docile? He felt the corners of his lips curve into a small smile. ..Not much, but enough to be called a smirk...

"Touché." He said.

 Kagome stopped laughing, then looked up at him and smiled. Her voice was "...You know, Inu... for a sea dog, you're... pretty enjoyable company..."

His eyes widened slightly, but not enough for her to notice. _I... am...?  The damp-haired hanyou keh'd again... "And just what makes you think so? ...In case you haven't noticed, I'm nothing but a 'dirty pirate'... A scalawag. A menace to decent society."_

Kagome tilted her head. "Menace...? No... No, you're different. I can... feel it." She uncrossed her legs and gazed upward once more, to the star-dotted sky. 

"...And, with you... I don't think I feel quite so lonely."

...Inuyasha was silent. _...Does she really mean what she says? ...Does she even know who she's talking to?_ The captain was gruff with his response. "...You have that other cook with you. ...Sango, her name is. And the monk. ...You have no reason to feel lonely."

The girl sighed absently. "True, but..." she paused, looking down. "...With you, It feels that I can... I don't know, temporarily forget my worries. ...About home. ..,About the we- about things... I..." She stopped, turning to look at the dog-eared pirate once more. "...Sorry, I'm not laying it on too thick, am I?"

He just keh'd. Kagome took that to signify a no. ...Another moment of silence.

"You know... I just remembered," she started again. "You never did tell me about yourself..."

Inuyasha turned away. "I told you. I'm not good at that crap."

Kagome was still for a moment, then reached into her pocket. In it was a small piece of torn paper from a cookbook and a tidbit of coal from the stove, as well as quite a bit of pocket lint. "I have an idea..." she said.

As the hanyou watched, Kagome huddled over her leg, and with the makeshift crayon, wrote something on the paper. She looked up. "...Have you ever heard of the game 'question exchange'?"

Inuyasha just blinked.

"Uh... _NO?"_

Kagome smiled her trademark smirk. "...Good. Because, I just made it up." She folded the small sheet in half and reached out to grab Inu's clawed hand. She placed the sheet in the middle and closed his fist around it. There it was again... her soft touch. ...He could feel his heart beating just a bit faster...

"Here's how it goes..." she explained. "I write down a question, and you answer it. ...Take it with you, to your room... let's meet here, everyday, perhaps, and you can answer it then... Then, you return a question on a small piece of paper just like that one... I'll take it with me and do the same thing... And so on and so forth, until all of our curiosity is appeased."

Inuyasha blinked, then gave her a narrow look. "...Any question...?"

Kagome, for a second, thinking. "...I suppose, for the most part. Just don't get too personal, like the hentai monk." She reached into the folds of her sailor suit, and brought out the small, brown book, handing that to Inuyasha as well. "Here... I think your hands are dry enough..." Inuyasha took it wordlessly...

A cold wind blew once more and enveloped Kagome's body. She hugged her arms to her chest, suddenly shivering... Inuyasha looked at her. The cold spray had coated her skin, making her feel it even more. In the wind, he caught the faint smell of vanilla.

"Wow... it's gotten so cold for this time of year..." She heard the shuffling of clothing next to her, but didn't pay attention. "Much colder than should have been... perhaps we've drifted north-?" She was cut off by the feeling of heavy clothing on her shoulder. ...Inuyasha had taken off his fire-rat fur jacket and draped it around Kagome's shoulders. 

...Much to her comfort, the inside was bone dry, and warm. She looked up at him in surprise. "..Inu-?"

"You're cold and wet... Do you want to get sick?"

Those words of chivalry were the last the young noble had expected... "No, but," she protested, beginning to remove it. "You probably need it more than I do..."

"Don't." he said, looking away with crossed arms. "...I'm a hanyou, in case you missed the ears.  I _never get sick! So, just shut up and keep it on."  He stood. ...Kagome hid a secret smile. _

"I'm going to go, now. ...Get up so I can walk you inside."

Kagome did so and slipped the jacket around her once again. "Thanks... this is quite generous of you..."

"Keh."

"So... will you meet me here tomorrow too?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine... whatever. Just don't be late."

"Of course not..." Kagome smiled again. "Wouldn't think of it."

~*~

The next morning, the sun shone brightly in the sky, as a tall, black-ponytailed noble stood at his vast balcony, overlooking the ocean. He wore fine brown robes of the softest silk, a matching headband and had striking blue eyes. On his feet were matching leather brown boots. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he looked out to the sea, longing evident only in his eyes. 

_...Kagome..._ he thought. _I... don't want to believe you're dead. You're out there, somewhere. I... can just smell it._

A cool female voice interrupted his thoughts from behind, making him jump and turn, making him return to earth in his in-charge noble mask.

The speaker was a slim eyed woman with long, dark hair and pale features, dressed in a flowy red and white kimono. She was strikingly beautiful in a haunting, placid way. "...Forgive me," she bowed. "Did I interrupt anything, Kouga-sama?"

The wolf youkai waved it off. "No, no... I was just... prospecting. Tell me, what was it you said, Kikyou?"

Kikyou gazed at him with a searching, cool eye, but pointed out no observations. Instead, she just repeated herself with a narrow expression. "...I said, that Ginta has reported to have seen a pirate ship sailing off the coast a few miles down shore. ...It seems, that it is heading this way."

Kouga took in her words. _A pirate ship, ey?_ "I see. Did he make any observations on what it looked like?"

The woman's expression did not change. "Very large ship, five white sails with a black dog skull on one, and a mermaid adorning the stern."

Kouga smiled to himself. ..._Dog-crap, huh...? _He almost laughed. _So, he wants the Shikon map for itself... how very predictable..._

"...Sir Kouga."

The youkai wolf turned to Kikyou and nodded. "Thank you for the information, Kikyou. I'll be taking care of this myself."

The woman turned to leave, with no more than a raised eyebrow to indicate she'd heard him. "As you wish..."

She was gone, and Kouga once again turned to the ocean. ...But this time, the evil-looking grin was plastered on his face. 

"This'll be fun, old buddy..."

~*~

AN: WHOO! Another week, another chapter. I realize the updates are a little spaced and I make you want to chuck tomatoes with my cliffhangers, but please, bear with me. ...I need to brainstorm and on top of it, juggle schoolwork, art, and beating my new Inuyasha game. *grins* ...That I just happened to have bought this weekend.  

Reviewers, reviewers! Thank you, one, thank you all! Let me answer some of your questions...

Gatogirl1- Kirara hasn't completely disappeared yet. She just took a vacation from the previous chapters, but she's still very much glued to Sango's side.

Lilacks- I hope you're satisfied.^,~

Wackoramaco87- Hrm... I was thinking about it... Fluffy's definitely going to be mentioned in the fic, and I'll probably integrate him into the plot somehow. But, as of RIGHT NOW, he's not anywhere in sight. Keep checking, though.

Linggoddess- Sugoi! Isn't E.E just the best book ever? I stole it from my public library after I read, by switching labels with another book. ...I still don't regret it and am proud to have it in my collection. 

Lilemmy- Mm... donuts. *goes up to get some*

Reinaqueen- He does, in fact... Though, what exactly, you shall find out soon. *secretive grin*

Goldenlover90- Hi again. ^^. I'm getting used to seeing your face! No worries though... If there's one person who sticks to character, it's me. But, of course, we all hate Kikyou.

Menchie-Pie- *squeals and glomps*  I shall think of the most gruesome death/demise I can.

Simply Turquoise- Ella Enchanted is a twisted Cinderella story, written by Gail Carson Levine. In it, Ella is the hapless recipient of a foolish fairy's gift of obedience. ...There's a sexy young prince in the background, as well as stepsisters. One evil and bossy, one bossy and stupid. Ella must break the curse before it kills her. ...It's excellently written. ^.~ You must see for yourself.

SakuraSpring- thanks for the review, but I'm afraid I can't clamp Inu's potty mouth. That's why I rated it Pg-13... but again, thanks for the review.^^

BabayBunny- Dunno... just bake/deep fry some sugary dough, I guess.^^

Ace of Spades1- *bows* You're too, too kind. And great pun.

Whew! That's pretty much it. Please stay tuned... annnnd...

*holds a pendulum up to your eyes* _Review... review... review..._


	10. It Was All But a Dream

AN: Please... Save the tomatoes until the chapter's over... *trembles*

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 10**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

The covers clung to Kagome's sleeping form like sheets of plastic wrap... Within the small cabin, the air hung thick, like drops of water. There was a faint buzzing in her ears, but, Kagome, whose sleep was slowly leaving her, opened her eyes slowly to find nothing more than a small mosquito hovering slightly above her head.  ...With a slap, the poor insect was sent to the land beyond.

Kagome stretched groggily, peeling the damp-feeling covers off her body and pressing her hands to her head, trying to rub away the sleepiness. ...It seemed a little early to be this hot, she thought with sleep-dulled senses. 

She glanced quickly around the room, and happened to make note of the fact that Sango's bed was already empty and done, with no sign of the taijiiya or her clothing in sight.

Her nails absently scratched her butt and she gave another yawn. It seems a little too early for her to be gone... Kagome yawned. Unless... 

She turned her head to her bedside table and zoomed in to an open golden pocket watch.

...Past noon.

Eyes widened, a feeling of dread fell to the pit of her stomach, and she slapped her hand to her head... simultaneously. Why didn't Sango wake her? Curses most unbefitting for a noble escaped her lips and she reached over her bed to the familiar green sailor suit resting on a wooden chair. She had completely missed the breakfast cooking this morning... She thought she'd made it crystal clear that by _any_ means available, the other woman was to wake Kagome up in the morning. I mean... there was a glass of water by her bed specifically for this purpose.

Kagome quickly pulled on her outfit and ran a hand through her limp and bedraggled hair. Sigh... If there was anything she greatly missed about life on land, she thought while staring at a cracked mirror, it was shampoo. Honestly... would it KILL the ship's crew to plunder toiletries?

 Sitting on the same wooden chair, the green-clothed noble pulled her brown loafer up to her. How odd, she noted. ...She thought she'd left the pair near the door last night. 

Her left shoe was in place and secured... 

Kagome reached for its mate, but let out a yelp when she'd picked it up. There was a surprising movement inside, and a small, (yet quite fuzzy) spider ambled out of it. The shoe fell to the floor and Kagome, suddenly fully awake, gave a loud yelp and tossed the nearest object at the impertinent arachnid, which in this case... was the golden pocket watch.

It bounced off the wooden boards with a clink, and lay open on the floor. Kagome got down onto all fours, pulling the bed sheets up, looking for the little bastard. Damn. She'd missed! And now, the creature scuttled away underneath the bed, well out of her reach.

Kagome sighed, sitting up once more. She reached for her shoe again, and after inspecting it for eggs, waste products and other critters, she pulled it on... understandably cranky. From the corner of her eye, she spotted the watch lying on the floor. Only, there was something wrong with it.

Besides the fact that she'd managed to successfully crack the pane of glass over the face, there between the layers of metal was stuck a small, folded piece of parchment. Kagome picked up the small instrument, pulling the paper out of the watch with her fingers and rising from her feet... It was torn, roughly shoved into the watch from it's bent condition and, upon folding it open, was written on with a blue-inked, sloppily done hand. ...A single question was written.

_What is your favorite color? ..._'Color' was written below a long string of X'd out words, including, from what she could make out, were 'food', 'animal', and 'place'. The sheet was shredded in a corner.__

The girl stared at the solitary question, torn somewhere between confusion and vexation. This wasn't _exactly_ what she'd had in mind when she'd randomly made up the question game around Inu. ...But then again... She tilted her head back and thought of the surly dog-eared pirate. Ha. Could she expect any less? For him, she figured, it was probably just a little soon to get personal and coy.

Kagome shoved the small paper into her pocket and after pondering for only a moment, reached over to the small brass-knobbed drawer on her nightstand and tore off a sheet of parchment from what looked like an unused log book. ...But, as to what to ask in return at the moment, her mind drew a huge blank. Inuyasha's paper found company in her pocket as she hastily stuffed it in, and proceeded to depart from the small dank cabin, turning the corner to the ship's kitchen.

Time for work.

~*~

**_Same day, in a wolfy manor not too far away..._**

****

~*~

A certain young lupine noble paced frantically around a largely furnished and well lit parlor. The ceilings were vaulted, curving elegantly into what seemed like an eternal climb at upward glance. The room was softly furnished with many fur accents and decorations... Fur rugs covering the marble floors, large fur poufs topped velvet couches and a half grown wolf-cub lay sleeping near the hearth while a soft flame burned, giving the room a warm, cozy, and cheery feel.

...However, the expression on this certain young noble's face could have coated the room in sheets of ice. In his clawed hands, he held two letters; one sealed in a corner by the imperial navy, and one messily written with visible tearstains dotting the paper. 

Both concerned his Love-to-be. ...Both bared bad news. A single, hot tear formed at the corner of one eye, but the Lord refused to let it fall. Instead, his face was set in a stony expression.

He reread over the tearstained letter. It had come from Kagome's family, frantic and wrought with grief, visible in the words. 

...Stated simply, they had gotten word only days before of a certain maritime catastrophe... A certain maritime catastrophe that involved Kagome... and a notorious ship of pirates. The words 'gomen-nasai' were written repeatedly in messy ink, but Kouga knew better than to believe it was him they were apologizing to. ...They were, Kouga could easily read between the lines of the letter, apologizing to themselves for ever letting her go. 

The second letter was much more formal; an insurance declaration. ...Lord Kouga was influential and powerful, and when a loss of property or life ever happened at sea, the navy liked to keep their more important citizens at peace. ...This letter described the lost articles and people in detail, assuring that as soon as the culprit was caught, the bounty secured would go to reimburse the lost possessions. ...Or life.

As far as one can pay off life, anyway.

The last typed line in the letter made him the angriest of all, so heated that to keep himself from shredding the paper took great effort. For, as the paper mentioned, the suspect in the entire Survivor attack was none other than the vile dog-shit pirate, Inuyasha, and his galleon of crusty men. ...How ironic, Kouga thought cynically... that just hours before this letter had been received... Inuyasha was nothing more to him than another fish to fry. 

But now... as far as the gods were concerned, Whiteclaw would pay. ...The life he took was the one he was to replace with his own.

The small wolfling by the hearth lifted up his head and gave a great yawn, awakened by the sound of the parlor door swinging open. Kouga refused to face the intruder and only stood with silence as the maid walked in shyly.

"Um, Kouga-sama..? Sir? Lunch preparations are complete and served... Won't you please come?"

The tough-lipped wolf tried hard to keep the anguish out of his voice as he waved her away. "...No. No thank you. I'll be having my lunch in my bedchambers later on. ...Just have Ginta send it up in a little while." He paused momentarily. "That and along with an inkwell and a few sheets of parchment."

The small, timid maid cast him a look of concern. It wasn't common for the Lord to miss meals, yet alone eat unaccompanied. "Yes, Kouga-sama... as you say." She turned to exit the room but cast a glance backward, stopping at the entrance. "...Sir...?" she questioned hesitantly.

The wolf turned partially to look the maid in the eye. The small black-haired girl felt a shiver go down her spine at the cold blue eyes peered at her stonily. "...Yes, Rin?"

"Are... you alright?"

Kouga said nothing for a moment. The small girl's gentle questioning wanted to make him burst. A thin wall of social breeding was all that dammed the anguish and fury inside of him. 

...He wanted to yell and to scream and slam nearby precious porcelain to the ground in his fury. He wanted to tear his hanging portrait to tattered shreds with his claws. No, he was _NOT_ alright. As far as he knew, Kagome was gone, drowned at sea, kidnapped and brutalized by pirates, or the personal victim of the ship's captain. That...that _bastard,_ Inuyasha...

He took her. Hell, he probably killed her. Kagome. _His_ Kagome. Just like he had taken other things in the years before them. ...Really... was it honestly not enough that he had, in one way or another, stolen _all_ of his naval school friends? ...Was it not enough that that goddamn Whiteclaw had, in his few years as a pirate, gained more respect and fear than HE had with years of kindness and wealth? Despite himself, Kouga's hand clenched around the crisp white naval letter. This time, Inuyasha had crossed too far. What honor and cruel satisfaction could there be in taking a man's love? The king of the sea... was going to pay.

That solitary tear held in his eye finally found its way free, and trickled down his cheek.

He turned to the little girl once more, but this time a small smile lingered on his lips. "I'm fine. Make sure you tell Greta to deliver the food as hotter than fire when served. ...I'll be pretty starving in a few hours..."

He turned around once more to the light, holding his hands behind him. The small maid Rin held onto the door, both sad and wide-eyed, and lingered for a moment, before finally closing it shut behind her.

And, momentarily, Kouga was left alone, the only respite from the silence coming from the snapping of the hearth. ...His mind traveled... It rose beyond his body... up into the sky beyond the vaulted ceilings and blue, blue sky, like an ethereal bird, searching for that memory... It was the only connection he ever had to the woman he knew he loved, up there, way beyond the stars.

A boy of seven wispily walked over a phantom beach... It was so many years ago, that even Kouga couldn't tell what was fiction and what was fact. ...But he did know one certainty. That day was the day he had met an angel... a bright-eyed, ruddy skinned angel, happy and smiling, that had stumbled across him on the beach... She was a little girl of five with wispy bowed pigtails, offering her last half of 'sand'which to a lonely pony-tailed boy, freshly shunned by his own father and having collapsed in angry tears on the sand. 

She had simply stood over him and smiled, a soft and sweet expression, hiding her puzzlement at the strange wolf-boy who looked so despondent. She didn't understand it, but she knew how to fix it, even at that tender young age, all it had taken was an extended hand and an invitation. ...'Will you play with me?'

Since then, Kouga knew that he loved her. He had too. She was the only one who had bothered, who had made him feel that he was more than just a 'nothing noble' ...Though, he couldn't have hoped that she had remembered him as well.. but perhaps, given his love, she just might have grown to. 

Lady Kagome was all he had to look forward to. ...Now... what else was there for him to fill his void? There was an aching, hollow feeling inside of him, and it needed to be filled.

At that time, only one word came to his mind. And repeated. ..._Revenge_.

...Kouga's jaw clenched as he stared out into the bay from the large window. ...Revenge. It was to be the absolution from his anger, for he knew he would never forgive himself until Inuyasha—Whiteclaw's life was forfeit by his hand. 

The wolf noble's thoughts were so deep and troubled, that when the parlor door opened once again he took no notice.

Light footfall padded across the floor and stopped behind him. There was silence for a moment.

"What do you want, Kikyou...?" Kouga's voice was stony once more. Though the two were bound by employer-employee contract, Kouga's trust in the woman had never risen past the assigning of house keys. ...There was something hauntingly beautiful about her, but eerie and cold. Cautious by nature, a wolf never trusts something that appears that it could turn on him.

"I couldn't help but notice you... aren't in the best of moods..." The cool wind of her breath breezed past his neck, causing an involuntary shudder. "I don't' suppose it had anything to do with that mound of drapery that arrived in the large travel trunk downstairs, today..."

"Drapery...?" he turned to look at the woman, who donned a black silk summer kimono, blood red birds flying about its sleeves and skirt.  Her hair was flowing behind her like an ebony waterfall, framing her pale face and making it even more doll-like.  Her eyes gazed at him studiously. "...Of course... with the sort of news bared in your hands, I can see how your memory would be misplaced..."

The wolf looked away from her, saying nothing. In his hand, the naval letter had been reduced to a crumpled ball. "I don't think this is any of your business, Kikyou... Perhaps you should get beck to the finance filing I'm feeding, clothing, and paying you for."

There was a soft laugh behind him. The raven woman helped herself to a seat upon one of the velvet couch and leaned back, staring at him with an air of entitlement. "Au' contraire, Sir Wolf... why, in case the thoughts of fancy have blinded your vision... the one with the most history to Inuyasha..." she paused and Kouga looked around. Kikyou smiled with reddened lips.

"...Is me. And therefore, there is something we need to clear up."

~*~

**Meanwhile, in a certain fuzzy captain's cabin...**

~*~

Inuyasha was only half sleeping. ...The cabin was dark, as all of the shades and curtains had been pulled across the windows to shield the sun. He had sent Miroku elsewhere, as he didn't feel like having the monk's company right now. There was something about her.... something he couldn't get out of his head. Kagome. The girl. ...Every time his gaze fell across her face, there was a surge of deja' vu... It felt like there was a large piece of his memory missing. Like he should know who she is, but didn't. ....It was all too strange.

In any case, Inuyasha had retreated back to his cabin in the middle of the day to get away from those thoughts. ...he hadn't slept much lately, what with devoting all of his time in trying to find his old nemesis. The ship was sailing somewhere along the coast of where he had remembered Kouga resided, but how close he was to the manor, or exactly where the manor was to begin with, he couldn't be sure. ...He'd just have to play it by furry-ear.

The rocking of the boat made it all the easier to fall asleep. Even after all of his years of captaining the vessel, he had never been able to get fully accustomed to the feeling of the tides against the boat. Perhaps it was his hanyou sensitivity. ...Normal men wouldn't be able to feel it anymore after a week. The gentle motion, combined with the cooled air of the cabin thanks to lack of sunlight acted like a mild drug, making his muscles involuntarily relax and he sink farther into the pillow. Sleep... sleep was good.

The half youkai never noticed when he fully drifted off to sleep, of course... his mind was unconscious, yes, but his thoughts, or dreams, rather were troubled.

Minutes passed in sleep... then half an hour... Just beginning his dream cycle, Inuyasha saw himself standing in the middle of a great room. A great, familiar room... Dark, swirling mist blanketed all and shielded things from view... There were a large number of figures nearby, moving... sweeping across the floor in what seemed like a pattern. He realized that there were, in fact, a great deal of people... surrounding him on all sides, moving rhythmically. ...They were little more than figures... Their faces were hidden, their clothes were devoid of color or anything that might set them apart as clothes. Up on misty walls, dim, ornamental sconces burned on walls. ...He looked up. ...Starlight. ...A clear-roofed room...

...A clear-roofed ballroom. The figures around him were dancing.

'What is this?' Inuyasha though with dreamlike passing... He had been to this place before. Every cell in his sleeping brain screamed recognition. ...But where? When? A nearby figure brushed against him, nearly making him lose his balance. The hanyou turned to the person, intending to give him a piece of his mind. Dreaming took away none of his attitude. But he stopped short. The figure's clothing had become much more apparent.

A naval uniform. ...A steel-gray and cobalt blue one, much like what was worn by students. Upon the figure's chest, decorations and ribbons were pinned proudly. The figure's dancing partner, a female, donned a long, flowing white gown. ...Memory flooded back into his head.

...A starlit ballroom. ...A ball. A naval uniform. These were in fact memories, and they were memories from a time in his life he didn't care to remember.

...In front of him, a figure pushed through the crowd, parting it, coming towards him. ...The figure was another woman. Her gown was a deep, shimmering blue, like the color of first twilight. Shimmering reflections looked like stars. ...And that body... the way the fabric clung to the soft curves... it was all so familiar.

The figure came up to him, smiling and extending her hand to grab his... Inuyasha couldn't see her face, it was blurred and rubbed out. ...All he could see, or rather, feel, was the soft smile of reddish lips. Long, black hair cascaded over her shoulders and down the back of her dress, causing a stark contrast between it and her skin.

"Inuyasha!" Came an unfamiliar-yet-familiar voice... "...I've been looking all over for you... Come, I'm _making_ you have this dance with me..." The words spoken seemed far off, as if they were spoken from fifty yards away. ...The soft hand pulled him through the crowd of people that parted after what seemed like an eternity... And he was led through ornate glass doors, onto the ballrooms balcony.

The dreamlike voice reached his ears again... 

"...Are you afraid...?" she whispered, with a hint of shyness in her voice.

"Afraid?" He heard himself answer... "Afraid of what..?"

The woman turned around and pulled him close, placing her hands in his and raising them to a waltzing position. "...Afraid... to dance with me?" Her face was still hidden from view.

Inuyasha couldn't think of words to say... He was silent, and the woman laughed softly. "...Of course... that's so you, Inuyasha... Always the strong, brooding type..." She pulled him into a soft lull, going with the faint music. "...I told you I would find you and teach you how to waltz..." The hanyou was silent once more... he didn't know why, but he could feel his dreamlike self blushing.

Their movement led them to the edge of the balcony... The woman suddenly stopped dancing and lowered their hands, so that they were being held at waist length... "Inuyasha...?" The ethereal voice said... "The reason... the reason I brought you out here... wasn't only to dance... but... to confess something... A little something... I've wanted to tell you for along time."

"Confess something...?" he heard himself say. He felt his heart beginning to beat faster. Whatever this memory was, it felt very, very real. ...The faceless woman looked away at the ocean below. A puff of sea breeze made her hair and dress flutter. "...I... can't honestly say that I've been fair to you, Inuyasha... I know that you've liked me for so long, and never made an effort to hide it. You, like a big brother, were always so protective of me, and yet... And yet I always turned you away." She turned again. "...Will you forgive me, Inuyasha?"

The words came from his mouth before he even thought of them. "...There was never anything to forgive... Kikyou." He saw his arms going around her waist. In the back of his mind, he questioned the name. Kikyou? Who was she? Where had he heard that name before? 

The voice drifted into his ears again. ...It was almost intoxicating... The soft curves of the womanly body, the long frame of flowing black hair and starry sky and ocean breeze. The smell of her that was alien but no less hypnotic.

"...Inuyasha... I never meant to hurt you... And, if you'll have me, I never will again..." Her arms wrapped around his chest and he did the same. His heart was about to pound through his chest. "What..." he breathed. "...What is it you want of me?"

Her sweet, womanly voice was in his ear. The music drifted in as well. The environment around him was still muted and misty.

"I love you, Inuyasha. Please... Tell me you'll marry me..."

His hands completely folded over hers and he pulled her in closer, wordlessly. "...I don't deserve you... and I can't hope to think I ever will..."

"Just tell me. ...Don't leave me on a breath."

"Kikyou..."

"If you can't answer me with words," She lifted her head, inching closer. "Inuyasha..."

His head bent, and the hanyou consented. His lips gently bent down and silenced hers. Everything about her.... everything about this DREAM seemed so real. But how could they be memories? The woman quivered in his arms and he pulled her in deeper. 

...Who was this woman? He had never known a Kikyou... had he? Her name was as alien as the bottom of the ocean. 

He pulled his lips a centimeter from hers. "...I love you too," he heard himself murmur. ...Suddenly, the face began to clear, and he pulled away. 

...The figure with the unfamiliar name and the unfamiliar voice had a very, VERY familiar face. Inuyasha stepped back. He felt his dreaming body smile softly at the woman named Kikyou. The breeze played again with her hair and clouds parted, shining cool moonlight on the face.

...But the woman smiling back wasn't 'Kikyou' at all.

 ...The woman smiling back... was Kagome.

His eyes shot open. The hanyou was lying in bed once more. ...A clawed hand reached up and touched his face, covered in sweat. His yellow eyes were wide in confusion.

..._What_ had just happened?

~*~

**Back to the conscious world, in the galley...******

~*~

A very large honey-covered flapjack was stuffed into a very small mouth. Then the mouth tried to speak.

"Awrrat. Suh wet me ghet da gist adhis..." 

"_Swallow_, Shippou. Have you ever choked? It's not fun." The taijiiya tossed another flapjack onto a large pile for delivery to the mess hall. The fox-pirate rolled his eyes and gulped a few times, trying to shove the mass down his small throat. His eyes reddened and moistened and he quickly reached for some water.

"I beg to differ!" he declared upon regaining the ability to speak. "Your food is worth the pain!" 

Sango smiled and replied in a mock-British accent. "Oh _sah_! You're much too kind." She reverted and looked at him plainly. "Want another?"

"Hell, yes!" swore the boy. Once another honey-covered pancake was on the boy's plate, he began to speak again. "Like I was saying... let me get the gist of this... _You_ were with _Miroku_ last night..."

"Uh-huh—I mean, NO! ...Not like that."

"In here, in this kitchen..."

"Bingo."

"...And he had righteous gas..."

"Poisoning, Shippou, poisoning."

"...That's just a polite, noble term for gas."

"I said he was _poisoned_... So how do you like your grey matter? Sunny side, or scrambled?"

"Fine, fine... poisoned. ...Sheesh, Sango. You don't have to get so defensive, especially concerning _Miroku_. ...It's not a very good investment, if you ask me."

Sango paused. "Get back to the topic at hand, chibi. I don't remember asking you for your assessment." 

The kitsune looked insulted at the term. "Chibi? Sango... really... you know I'm _all man_..."

"...If you finish that sentence... you won't be _man at all_."

Shippou breathed in almost-fright, raising his fork as a toast. "...Touché." He paused and chewed his pancake. "...By the way... do you have any _real_ syrup? I'm not really a fan of honey..."

Sango, who was dressed in some of the borrowed clothes from Kagome's backpack, a white blouse with fitted lace-up bodice, and dark indigo wraparound skirt, gave Shippou a shake of the head. "...All there is back there is what you guys steal. ...Which, granted, is quite a bit, but I guess the pancake syrup ships never crossed your path. ...Too bad, so sad. And besides... honey is much better for you..."

Shippou made a gagging noise behind Sango's back.

"...I can see you."

The kitsune's face froze in the position she'd caught him in while the taijiiya-turned-cook smirked. One last pancake flipped gracefully in the air before landing in the wheat-y heap next to it. Shippou un-paused and marveled with shining eyes. "...Wow, Sango-chan! You've really got some skill there... How do you keep it from landing on the floor?" Inside, Sango grinned in satisfaction. "Well... here's a hint... It's all in the wrist." Another flapjack sailed through the air.

"What is? Years of secret practice? You're amazing-"

"Thank you very much, Shippou-chan."

"-Astounding. Simply marvelous. You make Martha Stewart look like Captain Inuyasha. By the way... where _DID_ you get that outfit-?"

Sango spun and sent a third pancake Shippou's way. It landed on his head, flopping over and covering up most of his face. ...A dribble of butter ran down his cheek like a greasy tear. "If you want fourths... just ask." 

The boy just smiled and chomped in. "...Hey, Sango... Have you seen Kagome? I thought you guys always shared the breakfast shift..."  

The woman just turned and grinned wickedly. Wide blue fox-eyes became wider. "...Whoa. Sango. You didn't kill her, did you?" He leaned forward in his stool, eyes brow furrowing in disappointment. "...And if you did...couldn't you have waited for dinner, first?"

Plop. Another pancake landed. Sango gave a small laugh. "...Kagome's been my tutor since we got here. I think it was pretty common knowledge that before she woke up, you know... from the coma; as a cook I-"

"-Stunk like a sweaty pirate's armpit?"

"I was going to say... 'had significantly less aptitude', but thanks for finishing my sentence."

"No prob. ...I take donations."

"...Anyway, I let her sleep in this morning.  ...I wanted to see the surprise on her face when she walked in and found a steamy breakfast done and waiting."

"Ooh... you're sly. AND, may I add... that as a woman you deeply, _deeply_ impress me-"

Plop. Shippou wore another hat. He reached up with his fork and speared it off his head. "Heh heh heh... you read me like a book."

"...Enjoy it, Shippou. After that, you're done." Orange bangs came forward as the little pirate-ling pouted. Silence reigned for a few minutes, with the exception of noisy chews and a sizzling stovetop, before the little fox's voice came again. "So... hey, random question. What exactly do you _see_ in him...?" 

Sango tossed the remaining two wheat pancakes onto the large tray and turned, wiping her hands on the stained apron she donned. "...Miroku?"

"No. The Pope. I mean... _yes_, Miroku."

"You're a little young to be so sarcastic, but I suppose a pope and a monk aren't that far off..."

Shippou gave Sango a sidelong stare and blinked profusely. "Um... Sango... you wouldn't perchance... be thinking that Miroku's a _virtuous_ monk, now would you...? Because, _I_ for one would have to tell you..." A spatula clattered to the floor.

"...What?" Sango's hands flew to her face and she gave a look of intense shock. "...You... you mean he's _not_?" She breathed. Shippou watched as feelings of betrayal quickly rose in her eyes. "You mean... his chastity... his purity... are they really gone...? It wasn't just a lonely act?"

Shippou's face quickly turned from stunned to very uncomfortable. Just how... do you break the news to someone that their love is... well... been lovin' around? Not... that he wasn't about to anyway, but her reaction certainly teetered the situation. "Well... you know... he's, um..."

Her face straightened and she gave him a raised eyebrow. "...Really, Shippou... What do you take me for, an idiot?"

The kid's face turned pink and he looked grossly debased. "...You were being sarcastic with me!"

She held out a fork. "...Touché! ...Of course." 

"Serves me right, I suppose..." Shippou twiddled with the knife and fork on the table for a few moments. "...But, you know... if it comforts you some... I actually think that Miroku is serious about you."

Sango turned to the boy... Her eyes pleased and a small smile playing on her lips. "...Really? What makes you that?" ...Every woman likes to be told why they're liked, and Sango wasn't the exception. Shippou's eyes quickly darted around the room nonchalantly. ...He pretended to look for a hovering fly. "Nothing really... He just... um... said that you're number one on his list..."

A blink passed by and Sango said in a slightly higher tone, smiling inside. "Oh...? Really? Well then... that's good."

An innocent nod and smile shown with pearly kid's teeth. "You betcha'. ..._Especially_ when you beat out Helga from the Shoya coast. ...And she had some _huge_ knockers."

...Helga? Knockers? Like... breasts? "...Oh? That so?" Her voice rose another notch..

Shippou waved it off and shoved the very last bit of his very last pancake into his mouth. "Yeah, but she also had a gap in her teeth, so Miroku wasn't with her long. But you should have seen Amairu over from Shikabe. She was one of those geishas? The really loose kind...? And MAN, was she hot." 

"Oh." It was more of a statement now. And the poor taijiiya's voice had risen to the frequency of low bird chirp.

Shippou suddenly looked stricken. "...But she didn't mean anything to him either, I swear! When women like that give and give and give, it's all they can do to keep a man from running away. _And_... remember..." He paused and gave her a wink. "You're at the very, very top of a long list. He really digs you."

Sango's lips pulled back into a hard smile. "That's just... _peachy.._. Wow Shippou, thanks for letting me know! I'm... glad you told me..." 

The kitsune snapped a miniature eye-patch back into place over his face and gave a low bow while standing on the stool. "Anytime, my fair lady! Now..." he paused to wipe his honeyed mouth on a nearby handkerchief. "...Off I must go!" He hopped off the stool and made for the door, but then turned back. "...Um... You never heard this from me, alright? I want Miroku to have full credit for making you feel special."

Sango's grin could have frozen lava. "...Oh, he _will_. No worries."

With a childish smile and a hop, Shippou pulled a wooden bokken from a mini-scabbard at his side and waved it around. "I'll see you after today's training melee'!"

Sango smile was just frozen in place. And the kid was gone.

...A second later...

Who should appear by the door but Miroku? The purple-robed monk peeped in to find several dozen flapjacks near the stove, an arrangement of used cutlery where Shippou had sat, and a very odd-looking taijiiya, standing between it.

He let out a soft smile and stuck his head in the door fully. "...Good day, Sango-sama... The smell in here is simply divine..."

"Good day, Miroku."

"You know... the _weirdest_ thing just happened. ...I just saw Shippou out in the passage, and he told me that you needed a bit of company in here. ...Why, I don't know, because well... Shippou's just not that chivalrous..."

"Is that so, Miroku?" Her apron suddenly found itself squeezed in her hands.

"Haha... yeah. Anyway, I've been wanting to see you all morning... How I've missed you, Sango-sama... Dealing with the captain last night was quite hellish. You'd almost think he was being deprived of a woman..."

Her eyes were snowballs. "Hellish, was it...?"

"Yes, quite. ...He was overbearing and moody. Not that that's a _switch_..."

"...You mean like... _Helga_?"

Miroku froze as well. For about a split second, a sweatdrop appeared on his head.  Then it clanged against the metal weight of a nearby pot. And the monk went down.

"So. ...Top of your list, Miroku? What a sweet..." another object appeared in her hands. This one happened to be the old steel bowl containing a few remaining inches of pancake batter. "..._sentiment_."

This time, Miroku wore a new hat. He lay, as he had so many other times, writhing on the floor. "Sango..." he tried to breathe through the pain and batter. "What... did I do..?"

"You must think you are _soo_ slick... What excuse are you planning to give ME when you've had enough?"

"What... are you talking about...? Sango... I lov-"

She shouted now, loud enough for the ship to hear. "Bite me, Miroku! Just friggin' BITE ME! Right HERE!" Another metal object was chucked at him.

"Sango! Be gentle with me!" Miroku shielded himself on the floor. "...I don't think my body can handle this!"

"You're a freaking _man_! You're equipped, aren't you?!" Crash.

...Meanwhile... just outside the galley door... 

Kagome's jaw grazed the floor. ...And her eyes the size of saucers. From inside, the loud, perverse shouting of Sango and Miroku were to be heard. 

...Lord... you'd think they'd be more discreet...

A thought dawned on her as a moan clearly from Miroku came from inside... _Now_ she knew why Sango hadn't woken her up. Ha... the sly girl... But, Kagome thought, tutting... If she had wanted privacy, all Sango had to do was ask.  ...Kagome took a step backwards from the door. Perhaps she would... go take a walk. ...Around the ship. 

...Several times... Just to be generous.

There was another crash from the other side before Kagome turned and sprinted down the passage. 

Breakfast must already have been covered. And perhaps... Inu was around?

~*~

The room was now darker and cold, as the wolf lord had ordered the curtains drawn and hearth extinguished. His head was against his hands and not a sound came from him. ...And he preferred to brood that way. Two minutes before, the parlor door had shut behind him, taking with it the ever beautifully icy Kikyou. He remembered her expression throughout the talk clearly... It had been about as cold and hard as the cool blue gemstone on her ring finger.

A sapphire... 'K' engraved on one side of the ring, and "I" on the other... Which, once again led to the disbelief... Kikyou... and Inuyasha?

Laughable...

He slammed his fist against the small table next to him, splintering the area of impact... Inuyasha did not deserve anybody's love... Even if it was the frigid love of the frost queen, Kikyou... And, when had this happened? He may have been preoccupied back in the days of the naval academy... But he certainly wasn't _blind_. Had Inuyasha gotten together with a girl back in school, he certainly would have known of it... right?

Particularly... because Kikyou had been so desirable. Of course... back then, much had been different... Somewhere along the road to adulthood, Kikyou had lost her vitality... her fire. ...How and why, Kouga could only guess, as they had met up again only a few short years before, but the certainty was that among all of the female students enrolled, the one who had shone the most... was Kikyou. 

...Kikyou, the school sweetheart. 

Kouga's teeth gritted against the others. This topic was so infuriating, yet he couldn't put the blame on any one cause....Perhaps, it was the occurrence of 'Inuyasha' and 'love' in the same line. ...Perhaps it was that once again, without his knowledge, Inuyasha had managed to beat him. This time in the game of love... by managing to acquire the most popular girl in the school... Or, perhaps, it was because that underlying it all... Lady Kagome would no longer be coming... and it was still Inuyasha's fault.

...For the hundredth time that day, Lord Kouga swore his revenge.

...He sat there, alone and in the dark, for a long, long time.

Then, came the respite. The door clicked open, and Kouga caught the familiar wolf-y scent of one of his servants. The light clicked on and with a cheery smile, the butler spoke. "Hullo, Sir! I've got some news."

No less than grouchy, the lord turned to look at the tux-ed white-haired youkai, who stood by the vast room's entrance with little more than a bubble-headed smile. "You're not the shiniest spoon on the dinner table, are you now, Ginta?" His eyes squinted and rearranged themselves into annoyed adjustment to the light. "What kind of mood do you guess I'd have to be in to be sitting _alone_ in a dark, quiet room...?" 

"Well, um... I don't know sir. What kind of mood are you in? Can I guess?" 

Kouga slapped his forehead and groaned. "Take a note for me, Ginta."

"Of course, sir, right away sir!" The butler gave his boss a firm salute and pulled out a pack of post-its from his tux jacket. "Ready whenever you are."

Kouga's hard, irritated stare was accompanied by a new sweat-drop. "...You're expendable." 

"...Yes sir! ...Now... um, would that be with one or two k's...?" 

Kouga blinked. Then sat back in his seat. "Wow..." he breathed. Ginta gave him a puzzled, tilted stare and came over to his boss. "What is it, Lord Kouga?" ...The young noble just slowly shook his head and said simply, "You've gotten stupider."

Ginta blinked. "...That's bad, right?"

"Ginta, PLEASE tell me you're just trying to be funny."

"Well, no sir... but if you want funny; A Buddhist goes up to a hot dog vendor..."

"Ginta..."

"...Gives him a bow and says, 'Make me one with everything!"

"GINTA!"

"...Yes?"

"...If you don't tell me what you came here for in five seconds, I'm going to have to break my promise to your mother and kill you." 

There was a thick silence that hung in the air as the butler comprehended what Kouga had just said. Once the words had registered, he stood up straighter and gave a polite bow. "Yes! Of course! ...Um..." he righted himself, then looked at the wolf nervously. 

"...I just ran in from the docks... The ones near town? I was with Hatsuro and some others and we'd just returned from the pub on our break... he was telling me about how he'd seen that Ayame chick hanging around the manor walls again, and then Sajiro made some random crack about my hair, and everyone laughed..." 

Kouga's fingers rapped on the ebony night-table next to him. "...And?"

"...And suddenly, Masao comes out of NOWHERE, Which I thought was weird because he'd supposed to have been on guard duty near the south shore of the manor, and Sajiro was like, 'Whoa, man! Where'd you come from?' And I reach into my back pocket and prepare to give him a fiver because I thought he'd finally remembered that he'd won that pig-kissing bet around New Years... As if I'D ever kiss a frickin' pig..."

White lighting flashed over the chair and suddenly grasped the butler by the neck. Ginta's eyes bulged and his tongue lolled... "I... was almost done..." he gasped.

Kouga's sweat-drop had increased tri-fold in size. He let out a low growl. "...I'm about make your mom cry. ...Now what did you want to tell me?"

Ginta appeared like he was trying hard not to turn purple. A vein bulged from his forehead as he tried to finish delivering his news. "And then... *cough* Masao said he'd... spotted... Captain Whiteclaw's... *choke*"

...Captain Whiteclaw. _Inuyasha_! Eyes opening wide, Kouga let go of the butler's neck and instead grasped his suit. "Where?" he demanded. ...in all the drama of the letter delivery and Kikyou's confession, Kouga had completely forgotten that Inuyasha had already been sailing around his manor. _And_, that he was in pursuit of the map to the Shikon-no-Tama...

By then, Ginta had been a lovely shade of eggplant. He paused as Kouga put him down to gasp and catch his breath, coughing and hacking the air back into his systems. "About 10 leagues... about a 10 leagues past Devil's Horn Isle... and nearing..."

Kouga collapsed back onto the sofa, the wheels in his mind turning with thought. ...He... didn't need to go out searching for Inuyasha. The pirate was already on his way... lured by visions of power and fancy. He was walking right into Kouga's vengeful hands. ...How much easier could exacting his revenge be? Kouga furrowed his brow with the arrival of a problem... Just how was he to welcome the unwelcome Inuyasha...?

"Ginta." He spoke up suddenly.

"Y...yes Kouga-sama?" The white-haired wolf peered at his master uncertainly and had his hands risen, covering his neck. ...Christ. What a _moody_ guy...

"Take out your notes. I need some preparations to be made..."

~*~

It wasn't going to be too hard to find Inu... All Kagome had to do was run to the stern of the ship and take a look around... If she waited long enough... she'd probably see him walking around along the decks, right...? The vantage point from the front was always expansive. 

...Several pirates were already there, lounging around and filling the air with stink and profanity. ...A small group of massive, dirty men were playing poker over a cluster of barrels nearby. A young-looking pirate with a skinny build and bandanna hung upside down from tangled rigging and shouted for help, to nobody in particular. ...Kagome just sat on the tail of the wooden mermaid, arms crossed and looking very fidgety and bored. None of the men seemed to pay her any attention any more. ...Either that, or they were trying very hard NOT to.

She hadn't had time to consider if that was a good thing or bad thing.

The day so far was bright, hot and sunny, and the wind, or breeze really, blew modestly... There was land on the horizon too, Kagome noted. ...But where was Inu? It was midday... the men wandered around aimlessly until late afternoon.

She counted the minutes by like hours on the hot deck... standing there with no real purpose. Was this... how pirates always lived...?  She wondered. They floated like leaves on the sea, without certainty or apparent reason, other than to pillage the occasional village and sink the occasional ship... Kagome was torn between feelings of disgust and fascination on the topic... The noble side of her still wondered what could make men of any type act in such a savage way...

Suddenly, the sea dog whose foot had been caught in the roped rigging overhead must have suddenly become untangled, because without warning, he came plummeting down to earth and landed in front of Kagome, who jumped out of her skin and about five feet in the air. "Aggggh!! Holy shit!" she cursed and shouted in surprise. ...So much for polite noble breeding. 

"You scared the crap out of me!" She was wide-eyed with her hand grasping her heart and sweating buckets. The pirate moaned on the wooden deck, apparently having taken quite a blow to the head. Getting her wind back, she kneeled over the pirate, checking for blood and bruises, since he was half naked anyway. 

"...Are you alright? ...Hey, how many fingers am I holding up?" Over from the barrels, the poker-playing pirates had stopped and now watched them.

He turned over... but was obviously disoriented... His face was covered in stringy hair, and a bandanna was wrapped around his head. There was peach fuzz covering most of his face. ...He looked a little...'tender' to be a pirate, Kagome thought... and there was something familiar about him...

From behind crudely-made glasses (one lens was shattered), the pirate's eyes began to focus. "Don't move too much... How many fingers am I holding up..?" she asked again. 

He moaned and, getting his bearings, he finally took note of the person standing over him... of the girl standing over him.

"Ahhh!" He sat up and scooted away from her as far as he could. He stared at her for a second and began to breathe heavily. "Ka-_Kagome_??" 

Huh..? THIS threw Kagome for a loop... It was almost like the pirate _recognized_ her... "Um..." she tilted her head in polite confusion. "...Have we met..?"

The skinny pirate sat frozen as a scary thought just dawned on him... 

_Oh_ _no...  SHE'S the one! Kagome is the one he was talking about!_  

The skinny pirate shook his head fervently and scooted farther away, bowing with every inch he retracted. "No! N-not at all! Terribly sorry for the fright, m'lady. I'm afraid I must go now, do forgive me!" He stood to leave as soon as possible, but Kagome, wondering exactly why she'd just been treated like the loch ness monster, stood up as well and grabbed at his patched vest. "Hey! Just wait a damn minute."

His muscles tensed underneath the vest. She let go and put her hands on her hips, but he didn't turn around. "Gods, I'm not going to _bite_ you! ...Calm down! Just _what_ the hell was that all about?"

"Um..." He seemed to be at an anxious loss for words.

"And, would ANYBODY mind telling me WHY I'm suddenly terrifying?!" She looked around and glared at all of the pirates in the eye. It was odd... until this particular pirate had run from her half-screaming, she hadn't noticed the trend... perhaps she had been too preoccupied with thoughts of Sango and Miroku's romance, of home, of her marriage that no longer looked as if it was going to take place... but lately,  it seemed that every pirate she'd come across while walking the decks or greeted had just as quickly moved out of her path...

She was a young fresh girl... they were lonely, and (she assumed) straight men. What was going on?

The pirate she had just grasped spoke with a small voice... that didn't sound very pirate-ish. ...In fact, he sounded like a cultured young man. "...You... you are a lady, and are to be treated... with the utmost delicacy and respect, or... or..." He looked to the other pirates nervously. ...Kagome looked too, and was surprised to find that they too had suddenly lost their hard pirate edge and just sat there, uneasily. 

"...Or..?" she questioned. Delicacy? ...Respect..? What was she... a statue of the western virgin mary? "Or what?" she said now with some annoyance to her voice.

The skinny pirate hunched over with his hands covering his head. "Forgive me, Kagome-sama! I have offended you! Just don't tell the captain and I'll stay out of your way!"

"Huh?" The young noble stared at him like he had just spoken in African chant.

From the floor, he was silent. The others looked on in uneasy silence as well.

The _captain_...? He had said 'captain', hadn't he? Whiteclaw. ...Just _what_ did he have to do with her?  She thought about his words... 'Just don't tell the captain'... He'd said.

She inched closer and prodded him with her foot. "...Hey... what the hell are you talking about?" Her voice lowered dangerously in offense. "...Do you mind telling me when I became the ship spy...?

He turned his head partially, and once again Kagome was struck by how familiar the pirate looked. "Kagome-sama..." he whispered. "The captain... he..." From the corner of her eye, the poker playing pirates stood up and quickly hustled over to the huddled pirate. They surrounded him, cutting off Kagome from her interrogatee and hoisting him up over their shoulders... One of them, Kagome recognized as being in Manten's company when she'd first been kidnapped from the Survivor.  He gave her a sheepish bow and walked off with the other men, apologizing profusely as they gradually disappeared. "...Forgive 'im, Lady Kagome. He needs ta- ta- t'do some... ah... moppin'..." 

And suddenly they were all gone, taking the hapless young one with them. Kagome stood agape, suddenly alone on the wide deck...

She had just seen a man silenced.

Well, not _silenced_, silenced, mind you... but something was going on here... and it had to do with her... and the elusive Captain Whiteclaw...

...Kagome found herself walking back to the mermaid's tail... a good enough seat for the time being. Understandably, her mind was spinning. ...Perhaps... it was time to pay this captain a visit... for the very first time.

A bird sailed overhead, and it caught Kagome's eye just time to see some movement on the captain's deck... A door was slammed open, and a person walked out... dressed head to toe in a red haori, with a small animal skull decorating a string of beads around his neck, and a tiny golden earring glittering from his puppy-like ear.

...It was Inu.

Kagome could see, even from her vantage point as he leaned over the rail... He was still, staring at the water with the oddest expression she had ever seen him in. ...Was it anger? Was it sadness? Was it confusion? Squinting, she could see that dotted on his forehead were several beads of sweat. ...He was softly heaving.

...This... must have to do with the captain.

For even Inu to have emerged from the cabin so affected, there must have been something to Whiteclaw that she didn't know.

Kagome looked on, and her face hardened in determination. She was going to find out what was going on... right now.

~*~

Inuyasha felt a deep pressure on the side of his head. ...It was less than a headache, and more of a concentrated bout of confusion... How it was that just a dream could shake him up so was unsettling... And now, he just wanted to clear that thought...

But it seemed like the confusion wanted to linger... He didn't know how to describe what he had just seen and felt. The images he'd seen he had no recollection of, the woman who'd proposed to him didn't exist, and, (the thought almost made him blush), he had no romantic connection with the prisoner named Kagome. ...None.

...But then, why was his heart beating so fast?

With his weight pressed against the rail, he sank lower, so that his head rested on his arms. ...It was a beautiful day, he thought with a trace of bitterness. And look... there was the Koozushima coast. Lined delicately with vegetation and just waiting to be pillaged. Somewhere inside, the wolf-shit Kouga lay in hiding. Why, soon, he'd grasp the Shikon no Tama by the hand, and be the most powerful sea warlord Japan had ever known. ...He was that close...

But somehow, that didn't seem very important right now. _She_ was on his mind, as much as he hated to admit it. ...And she had no reason being there. She was just a petty breathing bundle of contraband. Stupid Kagome.

The wind blew and brought a familiar scent to his nose. ...Vanilla. However this time, it was mixed with the smells of sandalwood, (Kagome's perfume, safely tucked in her yellow backpack,) and the irritating scent of one of his own men... A skinny pirate they'd picked up a week or two ago, sitting alone in a pub and begging to be inaugurated as a pirate. ...God, that one was annoying. Inuyasha had taken a look at his hands. It seemed the boy hadn't worked a day in his life. ...The pansy might as well have been a noble...

Anyway, he shook out the sidetracked thought and groaned. Kagome was near. Hell... she was probably down on deck... Standing on the mermaid and pretending she was Rose from whatever that woman from that damn storybook was called. The women always did that...

"Inu-?"

The hanyou jumped out of his skin and landed facing the girl.

"Kagome?! What the hell?!" He hadn't even heard her. She stood behind him, and probably had for a good minute.

She tilted her head and gave him an incredulous glance. "...What's eating you?" She studied him deeply...  Something seemed different. Normally, when he saw her, he was cool and aloof. He was the perfect rebel pirate. ...Now, he seemed just a little agitated to see her. This hard look he gave her seemed a little more involved than the usual. ...She took a half step forward, her voice light and expression innocently cool. "You seem a little jumpy, Inu... Is there something on my face?" She ran a hand over her features for comic effect.

It didn't work. Inuyasha shot back. "Yeah. Your _face_. How the hell did you get up here?"

His cruel voice bit softly into Kagome, but she didn't let it show. Why was he being so defensive? ...Instead, she looked away onto the horizon and shrugged. "...Easy enough... I climbed. I was given limbs, and I intend not to waste the gift."

If her presence at this time was unsettling, Inuyasha realized then that she was standing on the captain's deck. ...And seemed not the least bit concerned about meeting a 'captain'. His voice became low and suspicious. "...Then _what_ are you doing here..? Didn't you know that prisoners don't have the same rights as pirates?" ...He was verbally pushing her away, and he knew it. ...But he couldn't help himself. Every bone in his body told him that the farther she was from his soul, the safer he'll be...

Kagome's eyes visibly softened with a trace of hurt. ...How odd... Last night, Inu had seemed friendly and... almost protective. What had brought about his bi-polarity? ...She glanced at the captain's closed door that seemed to beckon answers from within... She took a few steps closer, putting her and arms length with the hanyou pirate. 

"Inu... is there something bothering you? Call me nuts, but somehow I can't help getting the feeling that there's something on your mind."

The hanyou simply keh'd. Why was this woman so insistent on getting close to him? She didn't need to know about his life. Nobody ever had. And that's the way it was going to stay. He crossed his arms and looked away from her with a surly expression. "Maybe, Kagome, you shouldn't worry yourself so much with the life of a 'scurvy sea dog' and take your place back in the kitchen. What I feel is _none_ of your business!"

Kagome simply looked at him, silent. 

...He was silent as well... unsure of what to say or do...

Kagome reached out and grabbed his hand, and Inuyasha flinched in surprise. In his open palm, she placed a folded piece of paper and closed his hand around it. ...Her face was narrow and cold.

"Then... I guess _this_ idea was a total bust."

"What's this?" He asked before thinking.

She ignored him and stepped back. "Have it your way, Inu. Let's just forget this _prisoner_ ever gave a damn, alright? I'm sure there are lots of other lonely pirates eager for someone who just _maybe_ was willing to take the chance and understand them." She stepped away, turning her back. 

Inuyasha stood there frozen, choosing not to believe the words he had just heard from her mouth. "...And just what makes you think I'm _lonely_?  What the hell makes you think you know me at all, you weak woman?!"

Kagome simply ignored him. And walked to her destination... the captain's door right behind Inuyasha. She turned once and gave him that aloof stare. "...I don't." And her hand reached for the brass knob.

Inuyasha's eyes flew open. The door to the cabin! By instinct, he moved at a flash and intercepted the door, grabbing Kagome by the arm and pulling her back. Unfortunately, he'd underestimated his force and Kagome was consequently yanked off her feet and crashed into Inu's chest. He stumbled back and fell in a red heap on the captain's deck floor. Kagome was his topping.

The wind was knocked out of her for only a brief moment. And it took less than a moment to get her bearings, and upon doing so she wasted no time in flipping over and screeching at him.

"_Who the hell said you could touch me, you insane mutt??_!" With her leg she shot him a painful kick away. Any normal man would have felt immense pain at her foot in their chest, but Inuyasha just shook off the force and got up, half-yelling back, "Yeah well, _who the hell said  you could go in there?!_"

Kagome's jaw clenched and her face turned darker. "I don't remember having a boss. " She started again for the door. Inuyasha once again blocked her passage for it. "...That's funny," he growled, "...because I don't remember you being anything more than stolen goods."

Kagome blanched instantly with anger. _Stolen goods?! _What the hell was she, a barrel of imported tobacco?! Her jaw clenched even tighter. And, with all her force, Kagome placed her hands over Inuyasha's chest and gave him a good, hard shove to the side. Once again, the hanyou found himself on the floor of his own deck. And once again, he was caught in surprise. On this time, his usual hanyou temper filled him as well. Kagome leaned over him, with venom in her gaze. "I have business to attend to with Captain Whiteclaw," she said slowly, as if each word was a separate stab. "And I don't need the permission of a lowly deck-licker like you to do it. Inu, just SIT."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, though not enough for Kagome to tell. Ignoring her reference to him as a deck-licker and lap-dog, (which in itself was a blow to the proud Inuyasha's male parts), his expression narrowed and he countered. "...And pray tell, Lady Kagome, what would that be...?" His sarcasm oozed to the floor as he stood.

He had no idea he'd just addressed Kagome by her proper title.

"Nothing a lowly pirate pawn like you needs to know. You're not my mother."

Her impertinence he found he couldn't deal with. "...And damn well glad I'm _not_, If I'd have had to push a whiny, bratty bitch like you out from between my legs, I'd have jumped off a fucking cliff!" 

...His words lingered in the air for a second. He took in a sharp breath. ...It was only when the silence settled that he had begun to regret his words. ...Then, out of nowhere, came Kagome's swift, unexpected slap.

The hard sound rang out in the air and froze the scene between the two.

Inuyasha's hand rose to the side of his face, where the red-hot burn bruised more than his pride. But he was speechless. ...The great and powerful Inuyasha had just been humbled.

"My mother... has no place in your words."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something, but his voice died as Kagome looked at him with a steely stare. From his chest, the hanyou's heart began to beat just a little bit harder...

Kagome reached once more for the brass doorknob. Inuyasha reached for her arm. "...Just what..." he said, "...Makes you think the captain wants to be bothered?"

Kagome pulled away and gave him a slightly raised chin. It was a haughty expression she'd picked up from years of noble socialization. "...The captain's comfort is the least of my concern. I need to know something, and if he has a problem... he can just kiss my ass."

The hanyou pirate's eyes narrowed. "...You're too full of yourself."

"...Oh yeah? And what were you expecting?"

"...For you to be just a little smarter."

Kagome was silent for a minute. "...What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?"

Inuyasha slanted Kagome a narrowed look and came a foot closer. "Who do you think Captain Whiteclaw is...? I'll drop you a hint: It's not 'a fucking daisy'. What were you planning to do? Bound into his cabin, stamp your little foot and make demands like some debutante? ...Has it even _occurred_ to you that there's a price on his head for a fucking reason?" 

"I..." Kagome _hadn't_ though of that. ...And it sullied her.

Inuyasha took another step toward the girl. "Maybe you should stop your high and mighty charade before you get tossed into shark infested waters. ...This isn't your little village, and these men aren't spineless _farmers_. ...You'd better learn to stay in your place and learn to _fear_."

Kagome eyes snapped up and she leaned toward Inu. Beside her, a fist was clenched and she spoke. Her voice was suppressed. "But, I have nothing to fear."

Inuyasha was silent. Kagome eyes squarely met his. "I have nothing to fear, because I have nothing to live for. Life, death. There's no difference between the two."

Kagome shortened the distance between them once more... Her head was a foot from his. 

The last time he'd been this close to her, he'd been dreaming. The heart of the surly pirate king beat harder than usual... 

But her eyes were a hollow brown. "When your captain plucked me out of the sea to make me a servant, did it ever occur to him WHY I was there in the first place? Or did he, like most arrogant warlords, decide that my life was too insignificant for consideration?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Inuyasha said smoothly. Inside, a pang of guilt swam. That was exactly what he had decided.

Kagome's back straightened. ...Her voice was steady, but the hanyou detected a slight waver. "...I have one of two choices, Inu... The first... is to get off this ship whenever your captain deems it so, go back to my family, and find myself shipped out again within a month..." Her eyes narrowed.  "...To complete my arranged marriage." 

The hanyou froze immediately. ..._An arranged... marriage...?_ Those words hung like a noose in the pit of Inuyasha's stomach... The hollowness in the eyes of the raven-headed girl never left. "...I'll walk down the aisle smiling, then proceed to kill myself slowly every day, for the rest of my life, as I wake up next to a man I didn't choose." ...Inuyasha stood, motionless.

"Or," Kagome continued, putting her hands on her hips. "I could walk into that cabin, piss off a known murderer, and make the trip to the same destination a whole lot shorter. Which sounds better to you?"

One of the hanyou's furry ears twitched. "...You're a fool..."

Her eyes flickered. "...Why, because I'm not afraid to die?"

"...Because you're being reckless with the way you choose to die."

Kagome looked away. ...Her head lowered and she found herself looking at the ground. "...I don't care."

Inuyasha's jaw clenched. "Why?" ...As in, why are you being so stubborn? Why don't you care what happens to you? Then, he turned around and asked himself, and why do _I_ care?

Kagome read his mind and re-asked him his last question, with an accusing stare.

Inuyasha's froze again, and decided to ignore it, putting up a mask of irritation. There was no way he was going to let this... _brat_ know how sweaty under the collar she was making him.

"I'm not letting you go in there." He declared, finally. ...The hanyou knew full well there was no danger inside the room, but it was the principle that mattered, really. Kagome was perfectly alright with walking into the welcoming arms of death, and there was something about that entire concept that didn't sit well with him. And he was going to show it, whether he wanted to or not.

"And again, I ask you, just _why_ do you care?!"

"Just... _shut up_, you dumb bitch! I've had enough of your whining!"

"Why don't you take your complaints and shove them up your ass and around the corner?!"

"Maybe I'll shove them up _yours_, instead!"

Kagome was on the verge of screaming. "...That's IT! I'm NOT going to argue with an annoying, immature little... _BOY like YOU_! ...I'm going _inside_!" Her hand lunged for the knob, but the hanyou's hand is always quicker. He grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall. "I said NO!"

"_WHY_?"

Inuyasha's clawed hand clenched into a fist and he pounded the wooden wall right next to Kagome's head. ...The dam had broken. 

"Because... _I GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU_!"

Their heads were only inches apart. Kagome's eyes were wide, and her mouth was frozen slightly open in surprise. Across from her, Inuyasha's eyes widened as well, only his was from visible, angry embarrassment.

What... the hell had he just said?

Kagome was the first to speak. "Inu..." Yet her thoughts didn't go very far.

Inuyasha stood up straight. His yellow eyes looked away from her and were furrowed in a mix of emotions. He stepped back once away from Kagome, and put his hand on the popular brass doorknob.

"...Stop calling me that." he said. There was an edge to his voice. He looked straight at the door. Kagome followed his every move with the same expression. "What... do you mean?"

The silver-haired head turned and pierced the sailor girl with a glare. "...From now on, you are to call me by my proper title."

He swung open the cabin door and let it crash loudly against the opposite wall.

"I'm not Deck-licker, Boy, Underling... or _Inu_." His voice elevated, and his glare dug deeper as he let the bomb drop.  "...My name is Captain Inuyasha, and I promise you, you'd do _well_ to remember it."

Then... as if he'd never been there in the first place, he was gone. ...And the door slammed shut behind him.

Kagome was left alone on the small captain's deck. From within her chest, her heart raced. And her fists trembled. But at this point, whether it was from Inu's first confession, or his second, she didn't know. 

In all the melee, a small slip of paper that had fallen from Inuyasha's fist blew a bit and came to rest on the deck, just in front of the bolted wooden door.

~*~

The wind blew black hair endlessly into his eyes as he squinted them toward the late noon horizon. A tiny speck floated upon the line where the ocean and sky met. ...It was far, but, Kouga determined... It was the hanyou's ship. He could _feel_ it.

They were back on the vast outdoor balcony overlooking the sea. Kikyou was to his right; silent, and Ginta to his left; silent as well. Probably because he couldn't think of anything to say.

Kouga took in a deep whiff of the salty air. He felt a terrible fuel burning within him now. Inuyasha... There he is... just a stone's throw away. He held up the thumbs and forefingers of both hands and squinted against them, deep in reckoning.

"Ginta." He said.

The bumbling butler saluted. "Yes sir. Ready sir!"

"Tell the men to position the firepower at twenty-three degrees northwest, and wait for my command." He paused. "...You _can_ manage that... can't you?"

The underling gave a swift nod with a grin. "Of course, M'lord! Whatever you say! Thirty-two degrees..." By the time he was trailing off, his body was as well, and the butler disappeared into the manor once more.

Kikyou glared at him with partial incredulity and partial interest."...And I suppose you have this all planned out... Will this 'task' of yours make me miss my mud bath? ...I'm afraid I'm on a tight schedule, _M'lord_."

Kouga looked at her and said nothing for a moment. "In a few minutes... you are going to see why I've invested millions into my own firepower...Tell me, Kikyou... how eager are you to meet your fiancé' again?"

The woman paled even more... "Meet...?" Her eyes became hawk-like and she stepped back a few feet, but recovering quickly. "...Very much, Sir." She turned on her heels, looking directly in front of her. "But now, if you'll forgive me, I have a few other matters to attend to."

Kouga didn't bother to grant her permission of even watch her leave. He leaned against the railing, alone again. The knot of tension in his stomach was slowly unraveling...

...This was to be the hour.

~*~

AN: Okay... FIRST THINGS FIRST: I... *trembles* ... haven't updated in over a month.. but wait wait! Hold the fruit... this was an extra, _extra_ long chapter, wasn't it? I want to give a big thankie to my kawaii beta reader, who's birthday just happens to be today.

Happy Birthday/Halloween, P-chan! Congratulations on being old!

*ahem* So yes... the whole taking forever to update thing... Er.. what can I say? I got together with a boy this month... then didn't, I have LOADS of hw and SAT prep and stuff.... and um, I was lazy? *is nervous* Sorry sorry sorry....

What did you think of the chapter? I'd write a lot more stuff and answer reviewers comments and everything.. but I'm so bushed...  The next chappie will be shorter, but the plotline takes an interesting turn. You guys aren't going to kill me for the cliffy, are you?


	11. If Only

**AN: I've had to overcome a battle of sever writers block to get this chapter to you… Somehow it seemed that whenever I felt like updating, I'd look at the text and just …'.' But luckily, several months of zero time and no inspiration, I'm back with my muse.**

**Anyhoo, thank you guys for the 370+ reviews It's wonderful to know that so many people read and like my writing. ...Makes me feel great inside. And so, I apologize in advance for the evil cliffhangers.**

**Special thank you's to ArtemisMoon, dancingbarefootinmysocks, geta kuns chibi, and everyone else for their comments.**

**To ArtemisMoon, did you know I'm a fan of yours too? *grins* **

**Without further ado, here is the next chapter...**

**Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 11**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

...Her insides were on fire. Every inch of Kagome, from her nose to her toes burned with a flurry of emotions she had yet to sort out. ...Her legs pumped against the dry wooden deck for eternity. ...It was all so endless. She gave no heed to the pirates she nearly trampled; the only absolution from this feeling would come when she was as far away from Inuyasha as possible.

Inuyasha... _Not_ Inu. The sudden realization had her head throbbing.

...The stern loomed into view. It was a wide expanse of ship, twice as vast as the bow and probably twice as cluttered. Barrels and canvas sacks of all assortments lay scattered around the patch of deck space, forgotten by the disorganized pirates. And in this moor of wood, Kagome was alone.

Not that she noticed.

She tried desperately to focus. Her hands found their way to the cold metal of the railing. Her feet met with the lowest rung, and, once the blurry tears in her eyes had cleared enough, her gaze with the choppy waters of the ocean. A few spare tears ran down her cheeks and plummeted to the waves below. Tears of what? She questioned brokenly to herself. ...Anger? One of her hands reached up to feel the moisture beneath her eyes.

Anger, certainly... Inuyasha was a pompous blowhard. ...Pond scum, really, even subtracting the fact that he was a pirate. _Never_ in Kagome's lifetime had she met a man as pushy, obnoxious, domineering, and outright rude as Inuyasha! …He was vile and filthy. He had the mouth of a sailor. He was violent. Yes...Violent. ...The soft skin under her wrist where Inuyasha had grabbed Kagome and pushed her against the wall now throbbed with heat.

She wallowed in these thoughts until the most important one struck her again, causing her fists to clench once again..._And_ he was the captain. ...Captain Inuyasha. Captain Whiteclaw. In passing, she thought of Sango and her brother's case... She thought of Shippou's words, '_The_ _captain...? He's a major ass... He'd kill me if I he caught me in there.._.'

He had lied to her...

It was then that a new emotion broke through the anger... Kagome put her head down on the railing and let out a deeply suppressed sob. ...He had lied to her. Again, she didn't know why the pain in her was so potent.

The water beneath her crashed continually against the ship like broken glass. Both the blue of the ocean and brown of the deck blurred together as her eyes filled with tears. Her elbows rested against the railing as she hunched over, trying to squeeze away the tears...

From behind her, she didn't even realize that the taijiiya was watching.

_Kagome...?_ She wondered, eyes shifting with concern. _Is Kagome crying...?_

Sango took a few steps forward, to make her way to her friend. Whatever could have happened to make the otherwise happy girl so upset? 

Suddenly, a noise cut her off from her thoughts. ...The sound of a distant boom rang out over the horizon.

Sango's gaze broke to the direction from which it had come.

But, she didn't have time to even think. Her mouth opened in surprise.

~*~

CRASH! 

That was the sound of a shattering globe. It now lay in ruin on the opposite side of his cabin.

Inuyasha clenched his fist and eyes and made a nearby bookshelf his next victim, sending it to the floor with a well placed punch.

_...FUCK!_ He cursed himself inwardly. ..._What... is WRONG WITH ME?!_

To the destruction of the rest of his cabin, the hanyou replayed every minute of the previous events in his mind with a new sense of self loathing.

He had nearly struck Kagome. ...He had told her his true identity.  And... He had told Kagome he cared about her. 

He dug his claws into his head, as if to try to get rid of the awful memory. All three of them. …He cared about Kagome? What had he _been thinking_?! …She was a haggard, annoying, whiny bitch, and was of absolutely no use to anybody!

Inuyasha leaned over, heaving.

…Especially not him. Not to Captain Whiteclaw. …Pirate captains just weren't made for love.

Inuyasha stood still amongst the debris in the room, hands close to shaking. ...What's important now isn't Kagome, he nodded to himself. …It's the search for the legendary Shikon no Tama. ...It's the reunion with his old school mate, Lord Kouga... Nothing else mattered. No air-headed floozy was getting in the way of that.

Inuyasha paused, the sudden stillness of the room weighing on him. His bare feet plodded to the door and he opened it, taking a step outside... Her scent had faded. She was nowhere to be found, his secret relief. 

...Not that he'd ever be embarrassed. …Of course not.

The weather had just turned windy, and carried with it a faint scent... Inuyasha paused to determine what it was. The odor was acrid and grainy… a scent he should've known anywhere. 

..._Gunpowder_?

His eyebrow furrowed. The hanyou stepped out to the wooden deck in an effort to get a better whiff. One well placed foot sent the wood below him creaking. In typical hanyou reaction, Inuyasha looked down.

It was Kagome's piece of paper. There, folded and pinned against the wind. Inuyasha lifted his foot, but a sudden breeze lifted the bit of parchment and sent it high into the air. Before any rational thought could enter his head, he leaped to the mast above him and snatched the paper as it flitted by.

_...It smells like her...  _His thoughts momentarily softened_._

Inuyasha caught himself. ...In pure, yet indignant curiosity, the hanyou folded the paper open. Her handwriting was elegant and spaced, but unremarkable.  ...Not like a girl's. At least, not like proper girls who were always taught their calligraphy. It was written hastily, and the words carried with them her voice, as Inuyasha would have imagined it. '..._What is your greatest fear...?_' It said.

His first, well, hanyou reaction, of course, was to be offended. 

HA. _Fear_? He gave an inward snort. Was this supposed to be some half-ass attempt enter his head and get all warm and cushy with his feelings? ...All of the anger began to rise up again. The conversation, the fight, the confession.

He crumpled the paper between his fingers and clenched his fist. 

That was it, he swore... At the next village they sailed by, Kagome was being dumped and sold, along with the contraband. Available cooks like her were cheaper than a pack of instant ramen!

...The wind changed again. His puppy-ear twitched towards the land, and his amber-eyes narrowed... something was happening. He released his grip a bit on the mast and slid to the rooftop of his cabin. The faint stench of gunpowder once again reached his nose.

Suddenly, a large explosion erupted from the face of the cliff. The sound reached him moments later as a dull, distant boom.

_What was that...? _He gazed over the water strangely, without much alarm.

Then, something caught his eye.

It sailed over the water, first, as tiny as a pinhead, then growing to about the size of a grapefruit... then growing...

Inuyasha's eyes shot open in gripping realization and his entire body paralyzed.

_Oh, holy fuck! _His thoughts yelled. _Cannonball!!_

A huge mass of iron, roughly three feet in diameter flew barely meters past where he was standing and crashed into the ship with an earth-shattering shake. The entire vessel was tossed to one side from the impact, and Inuyasha lost his footing and flew from the roof. As he flew through midair, the surprised and shocked shouts from those on deck faintly reached his ears. 

He had little time to think, as Inuyasha's head collided directly with the mermaid statue soon after. Which is when, for the first time in over three years, Captain Whiteclaw blacked out.

~*~

The world had silenced... but just for a moment. Kagome had seen the unidentified flying object crawling toward her the last few meters before it hit. Afterwards, all she knew was the unpleasantly familiar sensation of flight. Somewhere inside her whined, "Oh, for god sakes... not again."

So there she went, sailing over the stern rail. 

There she went, flying through the air like a bird. 

And... there she landed, back-first into the cold, salty ocean.

...You know, for once it'd be nice to not have to be a victim…

Unfortunately for Kagome, the blast and toss had left her body momentarily paralyzed... This she vexingly thought about as the water covered her body, neck, and then her eyes.

If only she could move... If only the cannonball had missed. 

If only...

~*~

Sango, meanwhile, watched the entire scene with little more than horror. The ship shook violently with the impact, and she was tossed off her feet and sent rolling towards the bow, acquiring numerous bangs along the way. 

The ship shook, rattled, and groaned for what seemed like hours. Sango lay where she was until the ship ceased trembling and she could once again get her footing and scramble to her feet. ...A sick, terrified feeling welled up at the pit of her stomach when she saw the splintered deck boards and massive hole, just feet from where Kagome had been. 

..._Kagome_! She clasped her mouth.

She ran to the edge of the stern, leaping over the ship's massive wound and frantically scanned the area with her eyes for any sight of Kagome. The waters chopped a bit larger, but other than debris... there was no sign of her.

Sango collapsed to her knees. "No..." she moaned, thinking of the possibilities with inescapable dread. "No... Kagome..." She felt her vision blur and terrified, worried tears stung her eyes.

"Sango!" she heard Miroku's fearful voice call out from behind her. "Sango-sama! Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!" Moments later, the houshi's hands were around her waist, hoisting her up upon wobbly legs.  Sango collapsed against his heaving chest. "Kagome..." she whispered, still in disbelief.

Miroku brushed debris off her shoulders and steadied her in front of him. "...Did you break anything? Sango... look at me... are you hurt?" But the taijiiya didn't seem to be paying attention. Instead, she quickly turned around and climbed to the top of the railing.

From about twenty yards down, Inuyasha sat up stiffly... not knowing which part of his body was it that stung so badly. She shook his head in an attempt to clear the stars bobbing merrily around it. He was almost numb in disbelief... A cannonball. ....A cannonball aimed _at his ship_.  He glanced painfully over at the damage, wincing at the gaping hole... 

Swarms of pirates ran about in every which direction. A particularly large one knelt down to help up the captain, only to have Inuyasha swat him off. "Sah? Sah? You al-raght? He asked in deep bass. Inuyasha ignored him, pressing a hand to his throbbing head.

"Sango!" Came a shout from the direction of the wound. "Stop! Are you _crazy_? Just what do you think you're doing?!" He looked up to see the monk and taijiiya  struggling near the ship's edge. Sango looked about ready to take a dive... Only, Miroku was frantically holding her back. As well as he could anyway.

"Ooph!" Miroku winced at another blow from the woman. "Sango..." he begged. "You're not in your right mind..."

To which Sango merely elbowed him again, frantically trying to escape his grasp. "Let... _go_! " She half screamed. "Kagome! ...Kagomee~!"

Miroku froze and spun the woman around, gripping her tightly around the shoulders. " Kagome... What happened..? _Did something happen to Kagome..._?" Sango's composure faltered then and there, and her legs collapsed against Miroku once more. She pointed to the water with a trembling finger and screamed through tears.

_"The water!__ Kagome fell into the water! ...She's gone! Kagome is... is... she's **GONE**!"_

~*~

What could he do..? Inuyasha sat... [again] paralyzed on the bustling deck. But he didn't notice...

_"...She's gone! Kagome is... is... she's **GONE**!"_

A terrible pain suddenly erupted from his chest. Not anguish, though... His chest was on literally on fire. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

The pirate named Hiten scrambled to his side. "Captain! Captain!" he yelled. '....We've located the source of the cannon-fire, sir!" Inuyasha looked up into the face of several of his men. "W...Where..?" he managed to croak.

Another pirate, the skinny one with glasses ran up to him and saluted. "Believe it or not, sir—It came from a castle on the cliff! There," he pointed. "Due northwest!"

"...Lawd Kouga's castle...' Another pirate said far off. 

"What amazing firepower..."

Inuyasha looked up into the hardened and eager faces of his men... This was the first time their ship had ever been fired upon... and taken damage. The bloodlust was evident on their faces...

From his far, far right, out of the corner of his eye, he could see Miroku cradling a crying Sango...

Kagome... what was he going to do?

He stood up, panting...

"Well, Captain?" Hiten asked eagerly. "What are your orders..?" A few other men nodded and grinned. One fingered his katana maniacally.

Inuyasha couldn't think straight... His fist trembled at his side. His chest was still pounding. His ship... damaged. Kagome... overboard. His men... ready for war... Kagome... overboard. ...Kagome.

Kagome.

He looked up, trying to keep his voice steady. "...Comb.... the waters.... for any injured and overboard... take all you find to Myouga..."

A silence passed over the crowd of men. One dropped a cigar from his open mouth. For a moment, the only sound was the chopping waves on the boat's side.

After a moment, Inuyasha realized the quiet with a start and looked around fiercely. "What the fuck are you women standing around for?! I could've _SWORN_ I just gave an order!" The men uneasily looked around, then back at the captain... 

Inuyasha's voice rose tremendously. "WHAT? Is there something fucking wrong with what I said? Smee, did I offend your ladyship?!" He grabbed the nearest pirate. A man with several jagged scars and long, coarse black beard.

"Shir... no... Of coursh not..." Smee surrendered with a lisp. "It's just... that.."

"-WHAT?!" Inuyasha yelled in the man's face and lifted his collar even more. 

"It's... just..." the man wheezed. "The code... what about... the _code_?" 

Inuyasha froze again, his face remained locked in a state of fury. The struggling pirate in his arms was begging to turn blue... "The rule... that saysh... no mercy... for the fallen...?"

Inuyasha never realized how quiet his men could be. His heart was beating even faster... His eyes and teeth clenched shut. What could he do..? What could he say? There he was... trapped by his own stupid guideline. Kagome... was gone. There was nothing he could do. He looked up into the faces of his men. Their expressions were mixed. Some confused... at his behavior, no doubt. Some hardened and deadpan. Some trying their best to avoid his steely gaze.

Kagome... just _why_ did he care? He forced himself back to their argument. Pushy... whiny. Unfeminine. She was no doubt the most troublesome prisoner he'd ever had the stupidity to bring aboard. ...So _WHY_ did his heart feel as if it was about to explode?

_Because... _a little voice inside him said_. ...You **love** he_—

"NO!" He growled out loud. The pirates all began to look apprehensive. 

_Love_..? Ha. When he barely liked, Let alone tolerated? ...He shoved away the thought with a wave of irritation and apathy. How... how _stupid_ he had been to even worry... Kagome... this _Kagome_, was worth absolutely nothing. She was just another cook. Another prisoner. Another waste of deck space. ...And he would not allow her to make him weak. 

...Pirate captains... just weren't made to love.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and straightened up his composure, then glared at the men with a somewhat forced, but fierce smile. "Is that so, Smee?" He said with a lighthearted tint of arrogance. "No mercy for the fallen, 'ey?"

Smee nodded, beginning to finally lose his nervousness. "Yesshir... That's what the code shays... Section 8... paragraph 13... second sentence from the bott~..." 

With a quick fling of his arm, The second Smee to grace Inuyasha sailed over the railing... and into the sea. Inuyasha grinned with an evil glint in his eye. Most of the men were silent. Several snickered.

'Let this be a lesson to you all..." Captain Inuyasha said loudly. "What you have just seen is the proper example of the WRONG thing to say to a captain!" He turned to a pirate next to him. "Jakotsu, is hitting a fellow pirate while on ship also against the code?"

Jakotsu gave a fervent nod and a grin. "Yes, captain. It is."

"Punch the man next to you."

Jakotsu wasted no time in sending the pirate at his side to the floor with a well aimed stick in the gut. Several more pirates snickered. Inuyasha stepped back and smiled at his men. "Keep this in mind... I created the code... I can also bend it. I... am the law." He looked around slowly. "And a piece of parchment will never... _ever_ be greater than me. ...Remember this..." He looked around... and took a deep breath.

"...As you kill every fucking living thing in Kouga's castle."

A loud cheer went up among the men. Inuyasha yelled, "Get to your positions! And make for the coast!" They scattered in every which direction, manning their stations and crawling in and out of the ship like a swarm of ants. Ants brimming with fierce excitement.

"Hideo! Inuyasha called. "What is the status on the ship?"

"Surface damage, cap'n! It hit the deck and left at the starboard wall, just above the water line!"

Another sea dog came up behind him. "Captain Whiteclaw! What're we to do about Smee? He's still about, flailing in the water."

Inuyasha flashed his canines in a cruel smile. "Let him swim to shore. ...We show no mercy to the fallen, remember?" The pirate nodded and bowed out.

Inuyasha stood poised to make the far jump from the deck to captain's deck, when something made his ear flinch... He found himself turning back to the deck next to the ship's wound.

...It was Sango's subdued voice... pressed into Miroku's robes... sobbing. He looked equally as distraught, almost mechanically patting Sango's hair as he stared up into the sky.

A sick feeling began to rise up again inside Inuyasha... but it was only momentary. He forced his face to harden again in his patented cool callousness and he leaped up to the captain's deck.

_Kagome..._

He was going to forget about her. Forget she ever existed. No cook, no donuts... No woman. Kagome was as good as dead.

Yes, he was going to forget about her.

...He... just had to.

~*~

For a long time, she felt cold... Every part of her body was chilled to the marrow, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. And everything was dark, too. It was what happened when you went to sleep next to a drafty window and forgot your blanket... Yet you couldn't bear to wake up to fix the problem. That, and there seemed to be something licking her hand... and feet. And... half of her body.

Pesky dog.

Kagome looked to her side to swat Inuyasha away from her hand.

"Bad Inuyasha! Bad!" She reverberated throughout the hollow.

Inuyasha slunk into a corner, looking rather put out.

Scene change.

Suddenly, there was warmth... and light. And... prodding...?

...Kagome suddenly felt very, very heavy... And itchy as well. Her lungs felt as if they were going to collapse. Air.... she needed air.

She gasped... but no air came. Her chest began to burn..

"Wake up... wake up..." a voice said above. Kagome looked up, only to see his face. Inuyasha, hovering above her, and poking her with his finger. "Hey... Wake up."

_Go away_... she wanted to tell him. _Can't you start pissing me off again tomorrow? _ But unfortunately, she still couldn't speak. Hell, she couldn't even breathe. Inuyasha kept poking at her. ...Then, he kneeled down and began to shake. "Hey, hey... wake up, I said! What's wrong?"

She clenched her teeth, and wanted to scream. _Get away from me, you... heartless bastard!_

Inuyasha's face loomed closer. Kagome began to worry... and tremble. Inuyasha wasn't stopping. His face was inches from hers.

Was he... going to _kiss_ her?!

Sure enough, Kagome saw those lips pucker and loom dangerously near. What was she going to do? What was she going to do?!

Kagome concentrated all of her power and might to try to find her voice. Inuyasha was the _last_ asshole she wanted to be her first! Why wouldn't he leave...? _No... Stop... INUYASHA!!_

Kagome let out a scream. One that seemed to drain the very life out of her. Only... it didn't sound like a scream... It sounded... more like a gurgle...

Suddenly, Kagome was brought back into the world of the living. She felt herself convulse and heave to her side. Seawater poured from her mouth to the sandy surface she lay on... and bright, blinding light flooded into her eyes. Her chest still burned, but at least she could breathe. Kagome turned her head weakly and looked up...

Sky... blue sky... Ocean waves lapped at her right hand and foot... And the hot sun burned into her face. Kagome moved her head around enough to register that she was now sprawled on a beach somewhere... soaked, weak, and dazed. And that there was someone leaning over her. ...Someone who wasn't Inuyasha.

Brown hair and a lone pigtail fell over the face of a girl that was dotted with freckles. She wore a simple black and white summer kimono and a big, worried expression on her child-like face. She looked to be about ten or twelve... She gave Kagome another shake. "Hey, are you alright, now?"

Kagome coughed violently for about a minute, making her tear up. She sat up on the beach with much difficulty, her limbs being barely strong enough to keep her upright. The water in her eyes made the world unfocused for a good minute.

"I'm not... I'm not dead... am I...?" Kagome pressed her hand to her face and said, almost disbelievingly. The little girl tilted her head to the side and gave some kind of smile. "Well, if you were, then I didn't do a very good job with my CPR..." She put her hand on Kagome's back.  "Hey, don't move very much..."  Her voice was small and quiet.

Kagome gently lay back on the sand, breathing heavily and closing her eyes. The last thing she remembered was an earth-shattering shake, then her descent into the big blue. After that was fair game. Still... 

Kagome put her hand on her chest. She was alive. That in itself had been, before she washed up, almost more than she could have hoped for. Sango would be so happy...

_Sango_! Kagome sat up quickly. Miroku! Shippou! Inu-

...She caught herself in time. _Inu... who?_

A sharp pain shot throughout her chest and she nearly keeled over. Kagome's stomach heaved, and she found her self spitting on the sand. ...Only, she spat out red.

The girl gave Kagome an anxious look. "...You're... you might be _really_ hurt... I think we should get you to a doctor." She brushed sand off her kimono as she stood up and extended a small hand to Kagome. "Do you think you can stand? There's a doctor I know... He can be of great help... "

Kagome waved her hand. "No, no, no! I'm fine! I'm just..." She pressed her hand to her head again. "...I'm just a bit woozy, I swear. Besides, I need to get back..." Kagome tried to stand on two legs. ...Only to miserably fail. She collapsed on her near mortem-weakened muscles. The girl bit her lip. "...If you can't get anywhere now without collapsing, then you need to rest until you can..." She looked at Kagome in the face with worried eyes. "Please, let me help you...?

But Kagome wasn't paying attention anymore. She fell back onto the sand with closed eyes... unconscious. Again.

The little pony-tailed girl looked back and forth from Kagome, to the manor that sat atop the cliff, and back again. Wordlessly, she reached down and slung one of Kagome's arms around her shoulder.

All she needed to do was get her up to the manor... Dr. Sesshoumaru would do the rest.

~*~

WOW! I have done it. 

 No, that isn't winning the Olympic gold for Massive Public Aggravation, though it probably should be... I've gotten over my writer's block and typed out a chapter eons after my last one.  Yes...yes.. . I know... most of you guys hate me for the suspense... -_- I just hope I haven't lost any of you... You guys keep me are worth more than a Grecian muse. I'd humbly thank an im-er  for busting my chops a little while ago to update.

::little geisha bow:: Sank you... sank you...

For those who are wondering, the next chapter won't take nearly as long as this one did... now that I'm back in the swing of things. As insurance, feel free to shoot me through the temple if I take longer than 3-4 weeks. Said time limit, because of final exams. I still have a life, you know.^^

Oh... and... did I leave anybody dangling off the edge of my cliffhanger? *grin*


	12. Lying in Wait

**AN: Yeah... I suck... I really suck... I'm sorry... I'm SORRY!**

**This extremely short teaser/chapter was to bring me out of my funk. It was a good exercise... And, the many of you who so kindly nagged me to continue made me realize what a pinhead I was being and inspired me to write again. **

**Thank you to Sorena, whose stories I secretly adore and whose mail was the final straw in not being stupid. And, of course, to everyone else as well. I love this story. It kind of makes me wonder why I stopped writing it in the first place. **

**Anyhoo****, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, short or no. **

**Hanyou**** on the High Sea- Chapter 12

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Kagome caught the faint whiff of mint. ...And coffee. This was, of course, after what seemed like hours of sleep... Groggily, she opened a dilated eye only to find it painfully flooded by lamplight. "Ugh..." Her hand reached up to massage her eyeballs, then she squinted, trying to get used to the moderately bright room. She felt itchy, full of sand and sweat.

"Rise and shine, kid." A deep voice said tranquilly from the corner, nearly scaring Kagome out of her wits. "I trust you are alive."

At first, Kagome thought she was looking at a woman. Though, the deep voice soon quashed that theory. Then, upon her eyes focusing, she could have sworn, just for a minute... she was looking at Inuyasha.

This was also a misconception... for as soon as her wits had re-nested in her head, Kagome found herself gazing at the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

I mean..._MAN_, was he _HOT_. The teenager in her couldn't help but ogling. He was tall and gallant with long, straight silver hair and striking amber eyes. He had various markings, (tattoos, Kagome wondered?) on him, and an air that seemed particularly cool.

...Which was unsettlingly familiar...

Kagome shook her head and focused on the doctor. He WAS, the doctor, of course, judging from the stethoscope hanging around his neck and white lab coat hanging on a particularly ornate coat rack in the corner. She slowly peeled off the covers to reveal...

Not her clothing.

She was wearing a soft medical gown, made of white fabric. Kagome's chest fluttered at the realization. She looked up. "Uh... excuse me... but, how did I... Where are my...?""

The doctor answered with a nod of his head and a sip from his mug. "They're folded neatly in that corner, by the vase. Be grateful, I even took the time to have them cleaned."

Kagome nodded slowly, but stammered. "Yeah, but... what I meant was... uh.." She motioned to the fabric she wore and to the pile in the corner.

The doctor blinked before it dawned on him. "Ahh..." he scratched his chin with a clawed finger. "Yes, I saw you unclothed."

...Kagome just about wanted to curl up in that corner, be shot, die, and be shot again.

The doctor, however, gave a quick wave in the air and said coolly, "Don't feel embarrassed, kid. It's not like you have anything special. Tell me, are you in pain?"

Kagome clenched her teeth. She honestly didn't know what was worse. The fact that some strange hunk had just seen her in her birthday suit, or the fact that he didn't find it all that spectacular. "...Like you have no... idea." She gritted.

"Really?" He reached out for a notepad and glanced her way. "Tell me where it hurts."

Kagome couldn't help feeling standoffish and almost violated. "Will I get a kiss and a band-aid?"

The tall youkai doc narrowed his eyes and looked at Kagome. "Well actually, I was... But too bad for you, the only thing I hate more than pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis... which I loathe, by the way... is sarcasm."

They burned... The doctor's eyes burned into Kagome's. Those yellow orbs of pure, unadulterated frost. She found herself slinking back onto her bed, weakly. She sighed. "I'm sorry, doctor..." She looked up. "Doctor..."

He pointed to a diploma hanging neatly just above his desk. Which Kagome read.

"Dr. Sesshoumaru." She finished.

"At your service." He crossed his legs.

Kagome finally took the initiative to move and slowly extended a leg out of her cot. It felt heavy, As if she had just woken up from a sake-induced stupor. But at the very least, there was no pain. In fact, once she was out of the mattress and on her feet, she felt.... well, great. Loose, and just a bit floaty. She stretched her back and studied her surroundings... somewhere; she realized with a start, was very unfamiliar.

Half office, half infirmary, as it appeared. It was small, neat and white, with two other cots separated by curtains and a small, unlit fireplace in the corner. A sword rested in its sheath on a nearby table, and an odd, spiky plant was placed on a bright windowsill. ...Kagome remembered Paulina having one once... She believed it was called a cactus.

The doctor looked her way and wrote something on his chart. "Mobile and relatively coordinated... no signs of remaining injury..." He muttered as he scribbled. He looked up again and Kagome saw his ear twitch. "Respiration sounds normal..."

"Hey, excuse me, doctor....?" Kagome reached over and grasped her clothes and clutched them to her chest. Just then, she felt a draft and looked back to see that her gown... wasn't as modest as she suddenly wished it was. "Uh..." she said, while burning crimson and shuffling her bare rear end to the nearest wall. "Do you think you could be so kind as to tell me exactly where I am and what I'm doing here?"

Dr. Sess flipped over a few pages and leaned back in his chair. "Certainly. You are in my office. Why? Because of two broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, cracked collarbone, sprained ankle, _and_... lungs full of sea water." He put the chart down and casually glanced at a silver pocket watch. Kagome thought she saw a semblance of a smile.

"However, I won't recommend you rising just yet. Not that you would, of course, at the crack of dawn." He motioned for her to sit down, which she promptly did. "You've had a fairly nasty spill, and the drugs I administered to you might continue to impair some of your motor and judgment skills for the next 6-8 hours. Just lie down and rest a bit more." Kagome saw the doctor glance at his watch once again.

He stood and walked over to the night table beside her cot. An ice-filled pitcher with an orange-colored drink sat next to a few cups and a bottle of pills. "This is an electrolyte solution mixed with herbs and painkillers... The non-drowsy kind, don't worry. These," he pointed to the small cork-stopped jar, "Are to be taken once an hour. Use the drink, please."

Kagome nodded slowly. The solution looked kind of refreshing.

Sesshoumaru turned and walked to the door, where he opened it a crack. "Jaken!" He called. "It's time. ...Bring me my putts."

As Kagome watched, mystified, the tall, gorgeous youkai walked to the coat rack where his lab coat was exchanged for some type of sweater-vest combination and loose, solid kimono pants... His brilliantly gleaming silver hair was topped by an odd, floppy sort-of hat.

The door burst open a moment later and a youkai looking very much like a warty, desiccated frog ran in, tripping and falling at Sesshoumaru's feet. A large leather-stitched sack full of something metallic skittered across the floor and into the fireplace. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened momentarily.

"Fool," He growled. He picked up a bundle of silver clubs and inspected the head. "…You have just marred my Diamondswing..." Jaken's eyes bulged in fear and he kissed the ground at his master's feet. "For-forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama! It was so heavy, and I'm but a tiny peon-" The doctor wasted no time in opening the door and kicking the smaller youkai to the far reaches of the horizon.

Kagome watched, unsure of what to do or think as Dr. Sesshoumaru went out the door. He stopped midway, and looked at her with a slightly irate face and the same piercing yellow eyes.

"...My medical cabin is a bungalow on the northeast side of the Lord's manor. Should it catch on fire, or anything of equal distress, feel free to leave and seek help. But I wouldn't recommend you do so for at least three more hours." He looked down and rubbed an imaginary speck of dust from his golf club. "If you need anything else, I'll be back late afternoon. ...Maybe." The door slammed, and Kagome sat still... dazed in her buck-naked glory.

**

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**

A brilliant orange sunrise sparkled over the water, casting long shadows over the land and concealing something of interest in a particularly foliage-covered cliff-side. Katana in mouth and nails clinging onto vegetation, a pirate garbled out to Inuyasha as best he could in harsh whisper. "We await your orders, Cap'n. Shall I tell the men to storm the manor now or later?"

From all outward appearances, the ship had looked fairly badly wounded. Inuyasha had ordered the vessel to sail around the coast and dock behind a tall, concealing rock formation. For all of Kouga's knowledge, the crippled ship had sailed out of sight only to sink. Plus, he'd never expect an attack from beneath his very nose, right? Nonetheless, the guard would be significantly heftier than usual…

The hanyou's eyes glittered. 'No. We hide until nightfall when security is slightly more lax. Smee will lead his group out of the trees around the southwest corner of the castle, You and Hiten—"

"Pardon me sir, which Smee?"

"The short fat one, with red hair."

"Oh, yes. All right."

"You and Hiten will take your groups and crawl through the empty plumbing ducts on the east and west ends that Shippou so graciously scouted for us. Wait for my signal and storm. Force them out to the southwest garden—

"--Brilliant Plan, sir. Just brilliant-"

"...Keep your eyes on the fucking cliff."

"Sorry."

"This gives me ample distraction so I can slip in and do my thing, got it?"

"Aye, cap'n."

"Good."

Inuyasha glanced down to the crashing waves below. The knot in his stomach that had become all too familiar within the past several hours once again took effect. ..._She's dead, _he thought._ Why won't you just forget about it?_ Inuyasha clenched his eyes and tried to focus on the roaring, crashing sea to drown out the tiny voice.

Too bad for him, an even tinier voice piped in. _Oh, that's right... You can't._

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**AN: Hmm... I predict shenanigans in the next chapter...**

**By the way...**** I'm looking for a beta reader... Would anyone want to volunteer? If you would oblige me, just give me your screen name or email address in a review and I'll be sure to respond. :) **


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